Last week, the Tsela model was scratched with the word “Robotaxi” on its side, and no one in the driver’s seat has already turned off the loud Austin Street in Congress. Another Tesla, independent vehicle experts described it as a “chased vehicle”, followed by it.
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, commented on the clip, apparently the main car was One of about 10 vehicles The company includes Robotaxi The fleet, is expected to make its first official appearance next week. If this happens, it will come almost Nine years after the idea appeared in musk From the “Tesla Network” in which Tesla owners can add their cars to the independent Ridehail fleet. It will also be possible, in part, by a regulatory environment of the state of Texas, the organizational environment for AV.
In Texas, anyone can get a file [autonomous vehicles] He allowed those who appear and do some administrative things. ”Professor Carnegie Mellon and an independent vehicle expert Cobman’s elephant Recount freedom. “If you appear and tell the country you work with and you have insurance, then you are fine.
This is the friendly landscape of AV- Accelerate This prompted the developers publicly to the state-it can be said that Texas is the leader in the AV test and spreading the real world outside the California hometown in the industry. More than 100 Waymo vehicles are now roaming in the streets of Austin, Provide paid Uber trips daily. Zoox supported by Amazon and About half of the Dzina of other emerging AV companies A public road test was regularly seen along with human and pedestrian drivers. 18 independent wheel trucks weighing 30,000 pounds already run by Aurora I recorded more than 1,200 miles on highways in Texas.
“If you appear and tell the country you work with and you have insurance, then you are fine.”
But this quick corridor to innovate AV, while bringing millions in investments to Lone Star State, also raised concerns between some legislators and experts who say the approach may put safety in the back seat. Due to the Bold Law in Texas Law, local governments are unable to set their AV regulations. Tesla, with tendency to Play quickly and loose with the rulesJust amplify these concerns.
Last year, The mayor of Austin Kirk Watson criticized The state’s transition to keep the local censorship. In an interview with freedomThe Democratic Senator Senator Sarah Eachhardt says she is “concerned about offering an independent Tesla vehicle program in Tesla.” Ickhardt, who recently sent a message to the legislative delegation in central Texas, which determines her concerns, says she will work to ensure “slowing a roll” before its launch before the company was launched on June 22.
How Texas became a hotbed for AVS
The law provides AVS operating in Texas must comply with all traffic laws and be equipped with a video recording device, and holds the manufacturer of the responsible car when broken by the law. But what draws attention is what the legislation is no He says. As of now, there are no licensing or registration requirements to verify the capabilities of self -government vehicles, and there are no specific criteria when the car maker can remove safety drivers. It is also important, the law also states that no local government can enact the regulations that replace those in the state.
“Simply put, cities in Texas cannot organize autonomous vehicles,” Richard Mendoza, the temporary director of the Transport and Public Works Department in Austin, Written in the note 2023.
Fundamentals of legislation, according to the legislators Talk to Texas TribuneDates to early 2010. At that time, there were no clear rules regarding AVS. They wanted to make car manufacturers and AV operators, through stakeholders ’meetings, to encourage the approval of the law that removed organizational uncertainty and also did not burden the industry as they considered the requirements of arrogant permits. As for the ruling that prohibits cities on setting their own rules, Professor of Transport Engineering at the University of Texas Kara Kokman He says it helps avoid a mixture of conflicting laws that may make it difficult for AVS to travel between cities. But it can also create a headache for local officials who want more targeted regulations designed for needs or preferences specified for their city or their region.
“Simply put, cities in Texas cannot organize autonomous vehicles.”
This creates a more lenient AV environment than it was in California, says Cobman. There, AV manufacturers must obtain a separate permit for independent publication – a permit that local organizers are known to cancel whether a vehicle is disrupted. In contrast, Texas takes a much more approach to removing safety drivers. Kooopman notes that it is “completely up to companies” to determine the time to go to the driver. Even in more striking states such as California, The removal of human drivers sparked a violent reaction.
Texas bases are preparing to change. After years of defenders who are pushing the strongest handrails, the legislative body recently reviewed the 2017 law to require the approval of DMV before working on public streets without a human operator. These changes, however, do not apply until September 1. Eckhardt, who was pioneering in the progress of the review, wants to delay its launch until the new rules are applied. (Tesla and Texas Dot did not respond freedomComment requests.)
AVS starts all over the state complex enforcement questions. Local lawmakers reported their feeling of exposure because the current rules prevent them from getting up their own regulations. Last year, the mayor of Watson, Speaking in the south in the southwestHe said the situation impedes the ability of local officials to ensure safety.
Watson said: “I am all for margins and profit things, but in the end the common good must play a role in this, and it should not be sacrificed, and it should not be secondary in profit by the special entity.” according to Hill.
Quickly forward until today, the local police are increasingly reports of difficulties in dealing with the growing number of driver without driver. Although some accidents are very funny – such as “AV” stuck in a parking lot at the Taco store – there were also more serious reports on AVS Unintentionally, emergency response vehicles. Austin Police Lieutenant William White recently He said Reuters This way and Now AVS CRUISE ended Get a history of “freezing” when responding to the signs of the officers’ hand in festivals and other complex traffic cases.
“It was very frustrated in our end from the safety point of view,” White He said Reuters. “If these machines are learning, they do not learn at a rapid pace enough for sure.” (The mayor’s office and the police department did not immediately respond to the suspension requests.)
Kobman notes that Musk’s “health risk appetite” may bring these tensions in a clearer concentration. Although it is unclear How only independent robotox Experts will be concerned about the camera’s approach to technology can cause more accidents. Simple traffic errors or accidents that lead to general violent reaction injuries can not only affect Tesla but also other AV manufacturers like Waymo, which followed a more cautious approach.
“If there is a big crash, there is a danger that people say,” Oh, this is about technology, “says Kobman.
