Moderation Team
Summary: New regulations for autonomous vehicles (AVs) in Texas will take effect on September 1, aimed at enhancing safety as their use grows. Senate Bill 2807 mandates AV companies to obtain permits from the Department of Motor Vehicles and formulate first responder safety plans. This enforcement will start in the spring, particularly in West Campus. Data from Waymo indicates that their vehicles have significantly fewer accident rates compared to human drivers. Despite a general sense of safety among users, concerns remain, particularly regarding AV responses to emergencies. The DMV will gain additional oversight authority over AV operations due to this legislation.
New laws and restrictions for autonomous vehicles will take effect Sept. 1 to address safety concerns as the vehicles become more common.
Senate Bill 2807, which passed the Texas Legislature in June, will require autonomous vehicle companies to obtain permits through the Department of Motor Vehicles and create first responder safety plans. Enforcement is expected to begin in the spring as autonomous vehicle use becomes increasingly common in West Campus and across the city, said Rachel Castignoli, senior business process consultant with Transportation Public Works.
“Our expectation is that AVs can operate in the right of way without any data from the city of Austin,” Castignoli said at a city council Mobility Committee meeting in July. “However, because we support the safety of these deployments, we do share as much information as we have.”
According to safety data from Waymo, one of the largest autonomous vehicle companies in the city, the company reports autonomous vehicle incidents to show improved road safety compared to human drivers. In over 71 million rider-only miles, the Waymo driver was involved in 79% fewer crashes with airbag deployment, 78% fewer injury-causing crashes and 88% fewer serious injury or fatal crashes.
“I feel safe as is, but I don’t think it’s a bad idea to increase regulation because I’m seeing more of them on the roads,” Katie Peele, a UT graduate who regularly rides in Waymo cars, said. “Even though I’ve never had a bad experience, I am definitely aware it’s a possibility that could happen.”
Autonomous vehicle responses in emergency situations raise safety concerns, especially around the Moody Center, Castignoli said. She also said vehicles are still “really struggling with police hand signals.”
“Our dedicated first responder team has had robust engagement with the Austin Police Department and Austin Fire Department for more than two years and has provided training to nearly 1,000 first responders,” Waymo spokesperson Chris Bonelli said.
Bonelli said Waymo’s First Responder Program was independently verified by TÜV SÜD, a global testing, inspection and certification company.
Although cities in Texas cannot regulate autonomous vehicles, the bill will give the DMV additional oversight and authority over the vehicles.
“We aim to earn trust in our technology every day through the experience we offer, the quality of our service and the safety impact we have in the cities we operate,” Bonelli said. “We’ve always moved deliberately to make sure we are growing in partnership with the communities we serve and at a rate that prioritizes safety over everything else.”
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