The biggest state in the union is making room for self-driving cars, starting with four self-driving vans.
Driverless vehicles will begin picking up passengers for the first time in Texas, beginning in Frisco in July of this year.
Alison Griswold reports that the California-based company Drive.ai will launch a six-month pilot program that will operate four Nissan NV200s—"the same boxy van that roams New York City streets as a yellow taxi."
"Much like hailing an Uber, riders will summon one of Drive.ai’s vehicles using an app they install on their phones," according to Griswold. "For now, rides are free."
Drive.ai seems aware that the public consciousness about self-driving cars is mostly devoted to large companies like Uber, Waymo, and General Motors. "From day one, Drive.ai has positioned itself as the driverless car company that thinks most about these human-technology interactions," according to Griswold. "The vans rolling out in Frisco have LED screens on each side that can display short messages to other drivers and pedestrians, such as 'waiting for you to cross.'"
FULL STORY: Driverless car startup Drive.ai is launching a ride-hailing service in Texas
Treating Self-Driving Cars Like Student Drivers
Eschewing glamor, Drive.ai's self-driving vehicles use bright coloring, insignia, and LED messages to facilitate better interactions with humans on the road.
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Waymo Gets Permission to Map SF’s Market Street
If allowed to operate on the traffic-restricted street, Waymo’s autonomous taxis would have a leg up over ride-hailing competitors — and counter the city’s efforts to grow bike and pedestrian on the thoroughfare.
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
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USGS Water Science Centers Targeted for Closure
If their work is suspended, states could lose a valuable resource for monitoring, understanding, and managing water resources.
Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation
California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.
Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.
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