New autonomous vehicles hit Austin roads this week

An autonomous vehicle (AV) service officially entered Austin roads this week without a safety operator after months of testing. Austin is the fourth city in which the company has implemented its driverless cars.

The vehicles will shuttle employees within 43 miles of the city, including downtown, the company said. Rides for the public will become available at a later date, according to the company.

The company started as the self-driving car project of a popular Internet search company in 2009, with the goal of developing AVs. Over the years, the project evolved and made significant advancements in self-driving technology.

The cars have undergone extensive testing on public roads, accumulating millions of miles of driving experience. The company was recently able to start charging for rides in San Francisco and Los Angeles; however, it is under investigation for a crash with a cyclist in San Francisco.

This next advancement in local AVs comes after a similar car tech company suspended their autonomous operations in Austin and beyond in 2023. That company is facing a federal inquiry for pedestrian accidents in San Francisco. It also had operational difficulties in Austin after causing an extreme traffic jam last year.

Although Texas passed regulations for AVs at the state level in 2017 and 2021, cities can’t regulate the vehicles. However, officials in Austin say they are willing to work with companies on an individual basis.

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