Driverless Cars Will Be Put to the Test on Texas Roadways

Talk of driverless cars and of pods that can take passengers from one major city to another in less than 30 minutes may seem futuristic. But such advancements may not be that far off.Last month, Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill into law that lays the groundwork for how autonomous vehicles will be able to operate on Texas roads. The new law allows testing and operation of “high and full automation AVs on public roadways” but it also requires that those driverless vehicles comply with all traffic laws and be insured.Long before the bill was signed, Texas had been working to be a leader when it comes to the future of self-driving cars.Darren Anderson, TxDOT’s director of strategy and innovation, said the agency is just one of many preparing for the future of autonomous vehicles.“We are a player, but there are many involved in the who and what of what we need to do,” he said. “It goes to education, and how is it going to change the workforce? What skills will be needed, and how will skills change as they become more and more prevalent.”Automated vehicles also could decrease the number of crashes, many of which are caused by human error.  Continue reading...

Copyright The Dallas Morning News
Contact Us