General Motors’ (GM’s) autonomous car subsidiary, Cruise, has announced plans to launch its robotaxi services in Houston and Dallas, expanding its operations in Texas.

The service will be launched with a safety driver on board to take control of the vehicles if needed. The company intends to begin operations in Houston “in the coming days” while the service in Dallas would commence soon after. 

The company has opened the waitlist for interested individuals, as the program will initially be invite-only before becoming accessible to the general public.

Analyst QuickTake: Texas has always been a popular destination for autonomous vehicle companies, given its location, availability of academic and research institutions, and the Texan government’s encouragement. Cruise first entered the Texan market in December 2022 by launching robotaxi services in Austin, with further plans to test its upcoming purpose-built “Origin” robotaxi model in Austin announced earlier this year. Today’s expansion will help the company strengthen its presence in the state. In addition to Texan cities, Cruise also operates its robotaxis in cities including San Francisco, California, and Phoenix, Arizona.