texas

Arlington Chosen As 1 of 10 Driverless Car Test Cities

Arlington has been chosen as one of a handful of test sites nationwide for continued tests involving driverless cars.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has selected 10 cities across the country — five of which are in Texas — that will act as "national Automated Vehicle Proving Grounds," according to a news release issued by Texas A&M University, which is partnering on the research.

Arlington was chosen because it "offers a comprehensive real-world Automated Vehicle test environment," according to an application filed by the state with the USDOT for consideration.

Three specific areas of Arlington will be the focus of the research for autonomous automobiles: the campus of the University of Texas at Arlington, the Entertainment District and Interstate 30.

The UTA campus was identified because it is a relatively closed course, with flow-moving traffic and a lot of pedestrians.

The Entertainment District — near Six Flags Over Texas, AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Park — was selected because of its varying rate of traffic flow, as well as the potential need for increased access to public transportation in that area.

Interstate 30 was chosen because of its high-speed traffic, and the access to managed HOV lanes that run through a portion of the city and into Grand Prairie.

The other Texas cities where driverless cars will be tested are Houston, San Antonio, Austin and El Paso.

Contact Us