Picture This Pet

Bright Eyes from APA! will sing to your soul

This sweetheart from Austin Pets Alive! seems like she would be a stage diva with her sharp tuxedo looks, but Bright Eyes is truly an award-winning snuggler. She would do well alone or in a home with other cats, just as long as there are plenty of belly rubs to go around.

Name: Bright Eyes

Sex: Female

Breed: Domestic Shorthair Mix

Adult size: Medium

Age: 9 years, 3 months

Sign: Scorpio

Spayed/neutered: Yes

Adoption donation: $37.50

Location: On site

How APA! describes Bright Eyes: Friendly, happy, sweet

What APA! says about Bright Eyes:

Bright Eyes is a glamorous tuxedo kitty with white fur around her black nose and eyes that sparkle like diamonds in the sunlight. Even though she may look ready for the red carpet, she is humble, relaxed and friendly with other cats. She knows what's really important in life: a good belly rub!

Why APA! says Bright Eyes deserves your love:

Bright Eyes is an affectionate snuggler. She is playful and a lover of treats — a sweetheart all the way around.

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For more information about Bright Eyes, visit the APA! website.

This feline's favorite thing is a good belly rub.

Picture this Pet - Austin Pets Alive - Bright Eyes 2 - February 2015

Photo by Cheri Linwood

This feline's favorite thing is a good belly rub.

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Self-driving Roller Coaster

More self-driving cars expected to roll out in Austin for 2025

Photo courtesy of Waymo via KVUE

Various brands offering self-driving cars are on-and-off in Austin.

Expect to see more self-driving rideshare vehicles, also known as robotaxis, on Austin roads next year.

Robotaxi company Waymo, which you may have already seen on Austin's roads, is partnering with Uber. At some point next year, customers will be able to use the Uber app to call a self-driving ride.

Austin-based company Avride is in the testing phase and plans to roll out its robotaxis next year.

Currently, Volkswagen ADMT and Amazon's Zoox are in the testing phase in Austin, while Hyundai's Motional is in the mapping phase.

Last year, robotaxi company Cruise paused operations in Austin after the California Department of Motor Vehicles revoked the company's permits to operate driverless vehicles in the state. And last week, General Motors said it would no longer fund the company because of the time and resources needed.

This way of getting around has come with its safety concerns and issues. The city is tracking those concerns. According to the Transportation Department, the problems span from blocking the roads and parking in front of people's homes for weeks with lights beaming through their windows, to actual wrecks.

Since July 2023, robotaxis have been involved in 75 incidents. Only 21 of those incidents happened in 2024. It's important to note that Cruise has not been operating in Austin this year.

Since July 2023, driverless rideshare vehicles have been involved in 22 near collisions, eight collisions and seven instances where driverless taxis ignored directions from the Austin Police Department (APD).

According to the data, at least four of those Austin police incidents happened in recent months. The issues varied from driving through police checkpoints, to malfunctioning and getting stuck at an APD road closure near pedestrians, causing safety concerns.

A Waymo spokesperson said their vehicles have gesture recognition capabilities, which they've been training APD officers on using.

As the report shows, sometimes it does not work and Waymo said it is working to improve that. The spokesperson said that as of just last week, Waymo's First Responder Program has been independently verified by TÜV SÜD, making Waymo the first autonomous vehicle (AV) company to receive third-party validation for our emergency response protocols. They also said the data to date indicates the Waymo Driver is already reducing traffic injuries and fatalities in the places where the company currently operates.

Read the full story and watch the video at KVUE.com.

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