Austin Grapples with Autonomous Vehicle Incidents as New State Regulations Loom

Viral video of Waymo car blocking ambulance raises concerns about self-driving cars in Texas cities before new state rules take effect.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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A viral video showing a Waymo autonomous vehicle blocking an ambulance's response to a deadly shooting in downtown Austin has amplified concerns about self-driving cars as their presence grows on Texas roads. While the encounter didn't significantly hinder the emergency response, it tapped into anxieties about autonomous vehicles and highlighted ongoing issues with the technology, including incidents where the cars have blocked traffic, ignored police, and illegally passed school buses. As Texas prepares to roll out new state regulations for autonomous vehicles in May, cities like Austin are working to collaborate with companies and train first responders, but experts say the technology still has room for improvement before it's truly ready for widespread deployment.

Why it matters

The Austin incident underscores the growing pains of autonomous vehicles as they expand to more Texas cities, raising concerns about public safety and the ability of emergency responders to effectively do their jobs. With new state regulations on the horizon, there are questions about whether self-driving cars are truly ready for prime time and how municipalities can best manage their presence on local roads.

The details

In the March 1 incident, a Waymo autonomous vehicle blocked an ambulance's path as it was responding to the shooting in downtown Austin that left three people dead and 15 injured. While the ambulance was able to find an alternate route and the police were able to quickly move the Waymo car, the encounter highlighted ongoing issues with self-driving vehicles in the city. Austin has documented over 230 incidents with autonomous cars since 2023, including collisions, near misses, and cases where the vehicles have ignored police directives or illegally passed school buses. Experts say collisions involving autonomous cars are still rare, but the technology clearly has room for improvement before it's truly ready for widespread deployment.

  • On March 1, 2026, a Waymo autonomous vehicle blocked an ambulance responding to a deadly shooting in downtown Austin.
  • In November 2025, Austin ISD officials met with Waymo representatives about the company's vehicles illegally passing school buses, an issue the district had documented 25 times since August 2025.
  • In December 2025, Waymo issued a software recall after its vehicles failed to yield to school buses in Atlanta, two months after the NHTSA and NTSB launched investigations into the company.
  • At the end of May 2026, new Texas regulations will require autonomous vehicle operators to gain state authorization before carrying passengers on Texas roads.

The players

Waymo

An autonomous driving company and subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., Google's parent company.

Austin ISD Police Department

The police department for the Austin Independent School District, which has issued 25 tickets to Waymo for its vehicles illegally passing school buses.

Tray Gober

An Austin personal injury lawyer who specializes in vehicle crash cases and has been critical of Waymo.

Adie Tomer

A senior fellow at the Brookings Institute who studies transportation issues.

Jay Blazek Crossley

The executive director of the nonprofit Farm & City, a group that advocates for transportation safety measures.

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What they’re saying

“Self-driving vehicles are the future. There will be less crashes because of self-driving vehicles. But the future isn't today because these vehicles are not ready.”

— Tray Gober, Personal injury lawyer (The Texas Tribune)

“If we're dealing with an incident at one of our schools, the last thing that I would want is any autonomous vehicle blocking emergency first responders from being able to quickly access to triage patients or get to the scene.”

— Travis Pickford, Assistant chief, Austin ISD Police Department (The Texas Tribune)

“Their fatality rate is already much lower. The promise is, as the technology improves, that it will get better.”

— Adie Tomer, Senior fellow, Brookings Institute (The Texas Tribune)

What’s next

At the end of May 2026, new Texas regulations will require autonomous vehicle operators to gain state authorization before carrying passengers on Texas roads. Companies must certify their vehicles can operate in compliance with traffic laws and provide a plan for how emergency responders should interact with the vehicles.

The takeaway

The Austin incident highlights the ongoing challenges and public safety concerns surrounding autonomous vehicles as they expand to more Texas cities. While the technology holds promise, experts say self-driving cars are not yet ready for widespread deployment, and municipalities must continue working with companies and first responders to address issues and ensure public safety as new state regulations take effect.