Austin, TX
Texas lawmakers address lack of regulations for driverless vehicles
Texas lawmakers talk safety of driverless cars
State lawmakers are working on ways to ensure the safety of riders and drivers sharing the roadways with autonomous vehicles.
AUSTIN, Texas – State lawmakers are working on ways to ensure the safety of riders and drivers sharing the roadways with autonomous vehicles.
A Senate transportation hearing held on Wednesday addressed the lack of regulation in Texas for driverless vehicles.
“To many of our first responders communities, this is new territory for them. They are not quite sure how to handle an AV. I mean pulling over an autonomous vehicle, you know, what do you do? An autonomous vehicle in an accident, what do you do?” says District 14 Texas State Senator Sarah Eckhardt.
“One of the key things is to prepare and actually submit and have a dialogue with first responders in this first responder interaction plan,” says Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association General Council Ariel Wolf.
New safety concerns about driverless cars
There are new safety concerns about driverless cars that are on the road in Austin. Federal regulators are looking into whether Waymo’s self-driving technology is actually causing crashes.
A senate transportation hearing focused on the safety of Texans using and sharing the roadways with autonomous vehicles, as the source of transportation continues to grow across the state.
“We have had at least 17 companies that have deployed or tested on roads here in Texas. As the technology matured and evolved, we fully expected that the laws would evolve as well,” says Director of State Affairs Alliance for Automotive Innovation, Nick Steingart.
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Transportation experts presented methods to regulate autonomous vehicles and companies if safety concerns arise.
“We propose an adjustment that would allow the DMV to suspend or revoke the registration of an autonomous vehicle in certain circumstances, providing the DMV with the ability to review registrations to ensure that applicable requirements are met. The process would apply to all AV’s regardless of vehicle class or use case,” says Wolf.
“Everybody is not quite as safe as others and if somebody chooses not to be a safe provider, then the state at some point needs to be able to be in a position to step in and have a set of rules to follow that everybody understands and everybody agrees on what the rules are to start with,” says District 13 Texas State Senator Robert Nichols.
Driverless cars coming back to Austin
The self-driving car company Waymo and the ride-share service Uber are partnering up to provide rides on the same app.
In 2017, Senate Bill 2205 allowed driverless vehicles on highways. The autonomous cars are required to follow traffic laws, have a video recording device, and be insured.
Since Texas enacted its AV law seven years ago, the state has become the center of the autonomous trucking industry in the United States.
“AV companies here have established commercial partnerships with major brands,” says Wolf.
Senators also addressed concern about the economic impact driverless vehicles have on the state.
“There is a growing and expanding driver shortage and so the way the industry looks at it is proceeding in partnership with the existing workforce and being able to fill existing needs,” says Wolf.
This month, Waymo did announce a partnership with Uber set to start testing at the beginning of the year, bringing more autonomous vehicles to Austin roadways.
Austin, TX
Austin opens cold weather shelters ahead of freezing temps
As the Austin area prepares to plunge into freezing temperatures Sunday night, the city is initiating its Cold Weather Shelters protocol.
Those wanting to use the emergency shelters, which open when overnight temperatures reach 35 degrees or lower, must register between 6-8 p.m. at One Texas Center (OTC) on Barton Springs Road, according to a release from the city. Those interested and in need of transport can reach the OTC via bus lines 1, 7, 10, 20, 30, 105 and 801. Anyone who can’t pay bus fare but needs shelter will still be allowed to ride, a Facebook post from the city said.
Following registration, CapMetro shuttles will take guests from the OTC to a cold weather shelter. The addresses for these shelters are kept confidential due to “safety, privacy and capacity concerns,” according to the Austin American-Statesman.
The Statesman also reported that shelters provide meals and allow leashed, friendly pets.
All parks and libraries are meanwhile serving as warming centers during regular operating hours, except for Austin Public Library’s Old Quarry Branch and Willie Mae Kirk Branch.
Austin, TX
Building cleared after non-credible bomb threat made in Downtown Austin
AUSTIN, Texas — A Downtown Austin building was cleared after a bomb threat was made Saturday night.
Police say that the call came in at 9:38 p.m., after which officers arrived to the scene and cleared a nearby building at 311 E 6th St.
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The threat was found to not be credible, and no one was injured.
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Police say no one is in custody and they will be clearing the scene shortly.
Austin, TX
The richest small town in Texas tops our most popular Austin stories
Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Austin Mayor Kirk Watson held a press conference Friday to discuss a new deal with Southwest Airlines and its expected impact on the city.
The deal, approved Thursday by the Austin City Council, awards Southwest $2,750 for each new Austin-based hire over the next five years. In exchange, the airline plans to add 2,000 high-paying jobs with an average salary of $180,000 and invest in local workforce initiatives, including the city’s new Austin Infrastructure Academy.
Officials say the deal will strengthen Southwest’s presence at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, where the carrier already handles more than 40 percent of all passenger traffic.
The partnership is expected to bring in nearly $20 million in local tax revenue, and the incentive program will last for five years and pay Southwest up to $5.5 million.
Mayor Watson said the agreement will not only create new jobs in Austin but will improve the overall experience at AUS.
“We’re building lives and careers at the same time we’re building tarmacs and terminals,” Watson said. “Southwest is choosing Austin because our people, our workforce, and our future make us a smart investment. This deal creates thousands of good-paying jobs, improves the passenger experience, and ensures the benefits flow directly to Austin workers, families, and tourists. This agreement is proof that Austin means business and cares about the success of its people.”
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Read the full story at KVUE.com.
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