UNIVERSAL CITY, Texas – Two robots will hit the sidewalks in Universal City next month, as officials launch an inspection program aimed at improving the pedestrian experience.
Universal City Manager Kim Turner said the robots will be used to collect data to improve sidewalks for residents.
“As we have an aging population that is still very mobile and active, having a good pathway for them to get to and from places is very necessary,” Turner said.
The project stemmed from a Texas Department of Transportation notice, Public Works Director Randy Luensmann told reporters.
Luensmann said Universal City did not have an accessibility plan that complied with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The city set aside $94,000 from the 2026 fiscal budget to fund this project, Luensmann told KSAT in a email.
The small white robots, known as Daxbots, were later purchased. Though it’s unclear when the robots were purchased and how much they cost in total, Universal City residents can expect to see the robots roaming streets Sept. 7.
Daxbots are designed to record detailed data on sidewalk width, running and cross slopes, curb-ramp geometry, surface conditions and potential hazards, the city said.
Pedestrians can see the bots rolling around 11.9 miles for roughly one to two weeks during the day, Luensmann said.
The robots will be accompanied by someone also observing the sidewalk and monitoring the bot at these locations:
- 3.5 miles at Kitty Hawk Road; From Lone Shadow Trail to Pat Booker Road
- 2.8 miles at Universal City Boulevard; From Mount Helicon to Northlake Pass
- 2.5 miles at Old Cimarron Trail; From Kitty Hawk Road to FM 1976
- 2.1 miles at East Aviation Boulevard; From Travis Drive to Aztec Way
- 1 miles at Athenian Drive; From Forum Road to Phoenix Drive
Luensmann encourages people to take in “R2-D2’s” presence from a distance so that the data collection isn’t hindered.
“They cannot talk to you,” Luensmann said. “They make little R2-D2 noises.”
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