Traffic Technology

This new app hopes to solve Austin's terrible traffic problem

The Metropia smartphone app launched in Austin on Wednesday.

Courtesy photo

Traffic is a problem on every Austinite's mind. In the most recent Zandan poll we named traffic woes the No. 1 issue facing the city. And reports claim that daily commutes longer than 30 minutes can negatively impact our health, which is bad news for us because we sit in some of the worst congestion in the nation and can waste up to 80 hours a year stuck in traffic.

The good news is there's an app for that! The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority has teamed up with Metropia to help alleviate some of these traffic concerns. During a transportation forum on Wednesday, the duo announced the launch of the Metropia mobile app in Austin.

Metropia is a free app currently available for download for iPhone and Android users. It functions like a game, where real-time user data is used to provide suggestions like leaving earlier or later or using a different route to avoid traffic. (You can watch a video of how it works over at KVUE.)

"As more Austin drivers continue to plan their trips in advance, the more Metropia can accurately predict traffic patterns and contribute to the alleviation of city-wide congestion," stated a release about the app.

The app also tracks each user's CO2 emissions and the travel time that they save by following its suggestions. In exchange for lowering emissions and increasing time saved, users earn points that can be traded in for perks, such as gift cards and discounts from local retailers like Tacodeli and Luke's Locker.

"Austin needs a holistic ecosystem that works together to help reduce the city's congestion," said Mia Zmud, principal of Metropia Austin. "Corporate businesses, local retailers, employees and every driver in Austin can all work together with Metropia and with the Mobility Authority to start making these changes to free up the city."

It officially launched Wednesday, but the Metropia app has been in beta testing in Austin for the past eight months. During that time, more than 500 users saved a grand total of 211 hours in commute time and 8,550 pounds of CO2.

In addition to the mobile app, Metropia is encouraging businesses to stagger schedules so that Austinites aren't flocking to and from work at the same times. AMD and Emerson have already signed on for this flexible scheduling initiative, which Mayor Steve Adler promoted during his State of the City Address in April. "If we can get just 17,000 cars off road at rush hour, we could potentially lighten traffic to levels we enjoy on state holidays," he said.

The City of Austin is embracing solutions to help alleviate traffic, including an online discussion forum as well as plans to increase transportation alternatives and fix underlying infrastructure problems.

unspecified

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.

traffic self-driving cars innovation