How many driverless vehicle companies are operating in Austin?

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AUSTIN (KXAN) -- As autonomous vehicle technology continues to evolve, the city of Austin is giving further insight into roughly how many AV rideshare companies are operating in the city.

Austin has become a focal testing ground for companies in recent years that are crafting their driverless vehicle technology. City transportation officials classify AV rideshare operations under three tiers: mapping, testing and deployment.

Mapping refers to vehicles that are manually driven to collect information and data, while testing is the stage where vehicles are autonomously driven with the assistance of a safety driver to step in as needed.

Deployment is the phase of operations where cars are fully driverless, per TPWD.

While AV companies aren't required to speak with the city before deploying operations, an Austin Transportation and Public Works Department spokesperson said Tuesday they are aware of five companies with current operations in effect.

The city also noted Cruise, overseen by General Motors, had previously suspended service operations in Austin. That suspension came following a company announcement in October 2023, confirming Cruise would pause all driverless operations while taking "steps to rebuild public trust."

Austin officials noted Tuesday that in addition to AV rideshare services, the city is aware of some AV freight operations in Texas along with some AV commercial delivery services.

Transportation spokespeople have previously flagged that AV company operations in Texas are overseen by the state, as opposed to local jurisdictions. The Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 2205 in 2017, which streamlined AV rules across the state and allocating regulatory and government oversight to the state government.