Austin grapples with arrival of autonomous vehicles

Autonomous vehicles are in Austin.

According to a Sept. 1 memo from the Transportation and Public Works Department, the presence of autonomous vehicles has become an increasingly common sight over the past few months.

“Currently, there are approximately 125 fully electric AVs in operation and we anticipate additional vehicles in the near future,” wrote interim Assistant City Manager Robert Goode. “We are aware of three companies operating AVs in Austin.”

Cruise is currently operating commercially, with Volkswagen ADMT and Waymo still in the testing phase.

“Along with the increase in AVs, the city has received a corresponding increase in comments from residents expressing safety and other concerns about AVs operating in their neighborhoods,” the memo states.

According to the memo, AVs may have difficulty following traffic direction from people, including police officers or safety personnel at construction sites.

“We have communicated with AV companies about specific incidents where AVs have blocked first responders,” Goode wrote.

The city formed an AV Safety Task Force in conjunction with the Austin Police Department, Austin Fire Department, and Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services. The task force is intended to create a collaborative approach to sharing information, identifying issues, and communicating AV safety in the community.

“Coordination may help reduce the risk of injury, property damage, and potential conflicts caused by AVs operating in the public right-of-way,” the memo reads. “TPW and members of the AV Safety Task Force are not aware of any pedestrian, cyclist, or scooter injuries, to date.”

The city is prohibited from regulating autonomous vehicles, as per state law. “Simply put, cities in Texas cannot regulate autonomous vehicles. Vehicles must be registered and insured just like a traditional vehicle,” the memo states.

“It is important to note that while AVs may prove one solution to our mobility challenges in the future, there are legitimate safety concerns to how they are currently being deployed,” the memo notes. The Transportation and Public Works Department is communicating with peer cities such as San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, D.C., and Phoenix to share concerns and policy ideas with regard to the new technology. The department is also working with the Texas Department of Transportation’s emerging technologies group and other state and federal oversight bodies keeping an eye on emerging autonomous vehicle technology. TxDOT started the task force in 2019.

The memo continues: “AV technology is new, and, while very exciting, poses significant challenges to communities chosen as testbeds for this innovative technology. Our approach is to monitor and communicate as much as we can to create the safest operating environment for AVs in our community.”

Photo made available through a Creative Commons license.

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