Category Archives: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

The rainbow crosswalk replacements

Posted on July 4, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

It’s something. Forced to remove rainbow crosswalks under a state edict to erase “political” messages from their streets, some Texas cities are finding new and colorful ways to celebrate Pride and their LGBTQ+ communities. In El Paso, street lamps have … Continue reading →

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Driver in that fatal Tesla crash arrested

Posted on July 3, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest. The driver of a Tesla Model 3 that crashed into a Katy home last month, killing an elderly woman, has been charged with manslaughter, records show. Michael Butler, 44, was booked into the Harris County Jail Wednesday and charged with … Continue reading →

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The legal fights over flying taxis

Posted on June 29, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

There’s a lot going on. Two California companies at the front of the global race to bring battery-powered air taxis to the public are trying to trip each other up in court. While Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation are based within an … Continue reading →

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Lawsuit filed over Tesla crash

Posted on June 25, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

As expected. The family of the 76-year-old Katy woman who was killed when a Tesla Model 3 crashed into a home Friday has filed a lawsuit against Tesla and the driver of the vehicle. Jennifer and Justin Barbour filed the … Continue reading →

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NHTSA investigating Tesla crash

Posted on June 24, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Good. In the days after a driver crashed their Tesla into a Katy home, fatally striking a 76-year-old woman, a federal agency launched an investigation into Tesla, and Elon Musk cast doubt on his company’s driver assistance technology playing a … Continue reading →

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Here comes Mobileye

Posted on June 24, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

New robotaxi company set to drop soon. Mobileye has pitched itself as an autonomous vehicle technology supplier. Now it wants the operator label, too. The Intel subsidiary and publicly traded company said Tuesday it plans to launch a robotaxi service … Continue reading →

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Fatal Tesla autopilot crash

Posted on June 23, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

This happened on Friday night. A 76-year-old woman was killed after a Tesla crashed through a home in the Katy area on Friday evening, authorities say. According to the Harris County Precinct 5 Constable’s Office, the Tesla crashed into a … Continue reading →

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Another Waymo recall

Posted on June 22, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Oops. Waymo has recalled its fleet of nearly 4,000 robotaxis to restrict them from driving on highways while it figures out how to make the vehicles behave around construction zones. The recall comes after Waymo identified at least 13 instances … Continue reading →

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New robotaxi service coming to Houston next year

Posted on June 21, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe you’ve already seen their vehicles around. More autonomous vehicles are expected to hit the roads in Houston next year. Ridesharing giant Uber announced that it plans to roll out its premium robotaxi service in the Bayou City in mid-2027. … Continue reading →

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Where are the Tesla robotaxis?

Posted on June 20, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Not on the streets. Elon Musk, in trademark fashion, has made grand promises about Tesla’s Robotaxi efforts. Before he launched the service last summer, he proclaimed that over 1,000 of the self-driving cabs would be roaming the city streets “within … Continue reading →

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More air taxi testing

Posted on June 15, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Going on now in San Antonio. Nearly a century ago, Maj. William Ocker and Capt. Charles Crane developed a new piloting technique at San Antonio’s Kelly Field called “blind flying,” where the pilot relied on new kinds of instruments to … Continue reading →

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How to file a robotaxi complaint in Texas

Posted on June 12, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

I’m just glad there’s a way to do it. Texas residents can now report safety complaints involving self-driving commercial vehicles to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles as the technology becomes more common on state roads. Texas officials have established a … Continue reading →

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MKT Bridge has reopened

Posted on June 11, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

There will be a celebration of this long-awaited event this evening. From the inbox: A Tale of Two Bridges (ATOTB), Walk & Roll Houston, the Greater Heights Super Neighborhood Council, and BikeHouston will join Houston City Council Members Mario Castillo … Continue reading →

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Good luck getting a Tesla ride

Posted on May 31, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

The wait times are terrible. When Tesla announced an expansion of its robotaxis to Dallas and Houston last month, some investors touted momentum for CEO Elon Musk’s mission to transform the electric-vehicle maker into an AI-powered, driverless-tech giant. Reuters reporters … Continue reading →

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No Waymos this weekend

Posted on May 23, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

News you might be able to use. Waymo has suspended service in Houston and other Texas cities since heavy rain is expected to hit the region over Memorial Day weekend and the company’s self-driving vehicles have struggled to navigate flooded … Continue reading →

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Another robotaxi company with accident problems

Posted on May 18, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Your turn in the spotlight, Avride. Uber rolled out its Avride robotaxis in Dallas last December, but now, Avride’s automated driving system (ADS) is being investigated after several crashes, officials say. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA), … Continue reading →

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Waymo recalls robotaxis for flood fixes

Posted on May 13, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Waymo is recalling its U.S. fleet of robotaxis after one of the autonomous vehicles was swept away when it drove into floodwaters in San Antonio. The voluntary software recall stems from an incident during severe weather April 20, when a Waymo … Continue reading →

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Waymo to resume service in San Antonio after two flooding incidents

Posted on May 12, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest. Autonomous ride-hailing company Waymo is expected to resume service in San Antonio this week after suspending operations following two flood-related incidents involving its self-driving vehicles. Operations were paused after an April 20 incident in which a Waymo vehicle … Continue reading →

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Everybody stay home for the next few weeks

Posted on May 8, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Traffic during the World Cup is gonna suck. Houstonians should brace for heavier traffic on their morning and afternoon commutes during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as soccer matches and overlapping summer events draw thousands of people to already congested roads. … Continue reading →

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Goodbye, Northwest Mall

Posted on May 4, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Hello, maybe, the long-awaited high-speed rail terminal. Crews have begun the process of demolishing the old Northwest Mall with the hope that the location near the 610 Loop and U.S. 290 will one day become a train station, according to … Continue reading →

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Other cities’ scooter issues

Posted on April 27, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

I am fascinated. Growing concerns over reckless scooter use in cities south of Houston have prompted officials to update ordinances, launch awareness campaigns and plead with parents to educate young riders. League City officials say call lines have been flooded with complaints, while … Continue reading →

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Tesla robotaxis arrive in Houston

Posted on April 22, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

And in Dallas. Tesla’s Robotaxi service has taken to the streets of Houston. In a brief statement Saturday, April 18 on its X social media account, Tesla Robotaxi says the autonomous rideshare service just launched in Texas’ two biggest metro areas — … Continue reading →

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The do-it-yourself eVTOL experience

Posted on April 19, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Chron columnist Chris Tomlinson got to pilot the latest thing in small electrict-powered aircraft. And soon you will be able to, too. The HEXA-U flight experience is offered by LIFT Aircraft, an Austin-based company committed to “democratizing flight.” The HEXA-U … Continue reading →

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A ride in a Waymo

Posted on April 7, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Longtime Chron tech writer Dwight Silverman took a ride in a Waymo robotaxi and wrote about the experience. When Waymo began service in Houston on Feb. 24, its vehicles had already become a common sight in the city. When they … Continue reading →

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On autonomous vehicles and traffic

Posted on March 28, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

I eagerly clicked on this analysis of the effect robotaxis will have on traffic, but I have to say I came away from it dissatisfied. If and when self-driven vehicles become widespread, research and common sense both suggest they will … Continue reading →

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So how do first responders handle autonomous vehicles?

Posted on March 22, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

This story raised more questions than it answered for me. A viral image from the March 1 shooting in downtown Austin — an autonomous vehicle blocking an ambulance from reaching the scene where a gunman fatally wounded three people and … Continue reading →

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Zoox coming to Dallas

Posted on March 21, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

From last week. I’m curious to see how it goes. Amazon’s self-driving unit Zoox plans to start testing its autonomous vehicles in Dallas and Phoenix, the company announced Monday. To start, Zoox will deploy a “small number” of its retrofitted Toyota Highlander SUVs, with a human … Continue reading →

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Air taxi testing

Posted on March 16, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Look, up in the sky! The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved eight pilot programs that will allow a handful of companies, including Archer Aviation, Beta Technologies, Joby Aviation, and Wisk to start widespread electric aircraft testing as early as this … Continue reading →

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Are robotaxis actually safer than human drivers?

Posted on March 13, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

It turns out this is a more complicated question than you might think. If a chorus of wide-eyed boosters and enthralled journalists are to be believed, self-driving cars from companies like Waymo, Tesla, and Zoox can bring about road safety … Continue reading →

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San Antonio to (maybe) study eliminating some bus fares

Posted on February 27, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest, at least to me. San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones is asking VIA Metropolitan Transit to map out how the agency would test free bus rides on its busiest routes, a move supporters say could ease transportation burdens … Continue reading →

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Waymo arrives in Houston

Posted on February 25, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

As anticipated, and for a select group for now. Some riders can start boarding Waymo self-driving cars in Houston and two other Texas cities Tuesday, marking the latest launch for the nationwide fleet of robotaxis. The driverless vehicles debuted in … Continue reading →

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The Evolve audit

Posted on February 15, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Some interesting stuff here. Frequent cancellations or missed rides. Long wait times. Limited days and hours of operation. These were among the concerns raised in an internal review of a microtransit pilot program overseen by Metro and formerly operated by … Continue reading →

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Tesla sort of removes safety monitors from its robotaxis

Posted on January 29, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

There’s a catch. Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on Thursday that his company is now running a small number of its Robotaxi vehicles in Austin, Texas, without a human driver or safety supervisor on board. “Just started Tesla Robotaxi drives … Continue reading →

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Dallas still needs to remove its rainbow crosswalks

Posted on January 23, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

They’ve tried to delay it but are probably running out of road. The Texas Department of Transportation gave Dallas until Jan. 31 to remove its decorative crosswalks, which include LGBTQ+ rainbow and Black Lives Matter designs, according to a memo … Continue reading →

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