NHTSA Suspends Autonomous Vehicles Operation in Texas

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced that it’s suspending passenger operations for 16 of EasyMile’s autonomous vehicles until there’s an examination of safety issues related to vehicle technology and operations, according to a report by ABC 35 Central Texas.

The suspension comes after an unexplained braking incident where one passenger was reportedly injured, says the report. The vehicles operate in three Texas cities: Dallas, Houston, and Corpus Christi. These vehicles were being used on the Texas A&M University Corpus Christi campus. 

The autonomous vehicles are equipped with sensors to help detect and avoid potential obstacles, according to the report. The safety system allows it to function without an onboard supervisor.

NHTSA says that it will work with EasyMile and local authorities to assess potential future vehicle operations, says the report. In addition to Texas, the autonomous vehicles also operate in Delaware, Utah, Ohio, California, Colorado, North Carolina, Florida, Virginia, and New Jersey.