Driverless vehicles may reduce congestion in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, according to a new SMU study, although doubts and a variety of concerns regarding safety remain.
Human-monitored, AI-driven vehicles debuted in December with the rollout of an Uber-backed Avride driverless fleet in Dallas. Waymo followed suit in February, launching fully driverless services in an area roughly spanning from University Park to the Bishop Arts District. Since then, critics have pointed to worrying reports of collisions and robotaxis driving through flooded roadways, with Waymo temporarily suspending operations in May after one such instance in San Antonio.
However, advocates for the technology have continued to promote its potential to enhance accessibility and transportation experiences. One area in which driverless cars show promise, according to a new SMU-led study, is relieving congestion. Another study from 2024 found that Dallas is the 17th most congested city in the U.S, with drivers losing an average of 36 hours each year sitting in traffic…