Autonomous vehicles are becoming more common on Texas roads, but some are calling for stronger regulations and safety standards before the technology expands further.
Attorney Amy Witherite with Witherite Law Group said current state and federal oversight has not kept pace with the deployment of self-driving vehicles, arguing that companies should not be responsible for determining when their technology is safe enough for public roads.
"We have no inspections. We have no ability to see how many times human beings have to take over the operation of these vehicles. We have no access to the internal testing that is done," Witherite said. "Without some sort of regulation, some sort of monitoring, it's left to the citizens to raise the alarm."
Witherite pointed to several incidents involving autonomous vehicles, including May’s apartment fire in Oak Cliff. She said a Waymo vehicle interfered with first responders during the emergency, forcing a deputy to communicate with a remote operator instead of focusing on directing emergency crews. She also referenced other reported incidents involving autonomous vehicles, including vehicles driving into floodwaters and encounters near school buses and active emergency scenes.
While she believes self-driving technology could eventually improve roadway safety, Witherite said the technology is not yet ready for widespread use without additional safeguards.
"I think self-driving vehicles will make us safer, but they're not ready yet," she said. "The technology isn't ready yet. These companies should not be allowed to test their technology on real people, on real families."
Texas law prohibits cities and counties from creating their own regulations for autonomous vehicles, leaving oversight largely to the state. Witherite also noted there are currently no comprehensive federal regulations governing autonomous passenger vehicles.
She said stronger regulations, independent testing, and greater transparency from autonomous vehicle companies are needed before the technology continues to expand.
Waymo has previously said safety is central to its autonomous driving program and that it continually updates its software based on real-world performance. KRLD reached out to Waymo for comment regarding Witherite's concerns but have not yet received a response.
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