Why Lubbock Might Be the Better City to Launch Robotaxis

Testing Robotaxis in Lubbock would make more sense than testing them in Austin. The question is: is Lubbock ready for Robotaxis?

Robotaxis have been rolled out in Austin, even though a live person has been sitting in the passenger seat as a "Tesla Safety Monitor." It's still a very weird look because they just look like normal cars with no one in the driver's seat. You might expect the cars to be brightly colored or clearly labeled, in case some of us would like to keep a safe distance from them.

Something like a driverless car takes a long time to become normalized, and that would certainly be a concern in the Hub City. Even if the Robotaxis prove to be safe, Lubbock drivers’ reactions to them might not be.

There's also the question of whether you'd welcome the chance to ride in one. Some people just wouldn't want to give up the control of being behind the wheel—and having their foot near the brake.

Is Lubbock a Better Fit for Robotaxis?

Lubbock's streets, though, would make the introduction of such a service much easier. Our roads are laid out in a more organized fashion, and there's less traffic overall. The more I think about it, the crazier it is that the Robotaxis were rolled out in Austin, where driving can be a little chaotic, to say the least.

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I don't doubt that we'll have some service at some point. I would think a lot of younger Lubbockites—who see ride services as the future—may adopt this technology much sooner, whereas older drivers will be very reluctant to give up the independence that driving their own vehicle gives them.