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Scoop: Waymo will skip public meeting on ambulance-blocking robotaxi

Waymo says it already answered questions on the incident.

News

Waymo officials won&#x27;t attend an upcoming public meeting in Austin about a robotaxi that briefly <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="blocked an ambulance" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2026/03/02/waymo-vehicle-blocks-ems-austin-mass-shooting" data-vars-content-id="33bfc2ee-153b-458c-ba82-0ff936f26b85" data-vars-headline="Scoop: Waymo will skip public meeting on ambulance-blocking robotaxi" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2026/03/02/waymo-vehicle-blocks-ems-austin-mass-shooting" target="_self">blocked an ambulance</a> last month, saying the company has already answered questions in private briefings with officials.Why it matters: The episode is shaping up as a test of how safety concerns over robotaxis are handled — in public forums or through direct coordination with officials.

Talarico leads Cornyn and Paxton in UT poll

The survey was conducted as the two Republican candidates continue to battle for the GOP nomination.

Politics & Policy

State Rep. <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="James Talarico" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2026/03/04/talarico-crockett-democratic-primary-senate-texas" data-vars-content-id="65bd459c-71ee-4b9a-bdf3-8ed9777233f8" data-vars-headline="Talarico leads Cornyn and Paxton in UT poll" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2026/03/04/talarico-crockett-democratic-primary-senate-texas" target="_self">James Talarico</a> (D-Austin) leads his potential Republican opponents in the U.S. Senate race in Texas, per a new poll from the University of Texas. Why it matters: A close race in Texas would expand the battleground for Democrats in their bid to retake the Senate and put a legislative check on <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="President Trump" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/donald-trump" data-vars-content-id="65bd459c-71ee-4b9a-bdf3-8ed9777233f8" data-vars-headline="Talarico leads Cornyn and Paxton in UT poll" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/donald-trump" target="_self">President Trump</a>.

Teens take on investing

Charles Schwab officials say they're seeing increased interest in investing from Austin families.

Editor&#x27;s note: This story was written by University of Texas student Catalina Lopez for Axios Austin.Teens today have more access to financial information from TikTok, YouTube and beyond, but not all of it is reliable.Why it matters: April is Financial Literacy Month — an effort to encourage conversations around money — and local advisors say that flood of information is pushing more Austin families to start money conversations earlier.

Talking to Ben McKenzie about his new crypto doc

The former actor on "The O.C." is in town Monday promoting the new movie.

We caught up recently with Ben McKenzie, the actor and author who grew up in Austin and was a heartthrob in the TV show &quot;The O.C.&quot;Driving the news: McKenzie, 47, is in town Monday promoting &quot;Everyone Is Lying to You for Money,&quot; an investigative documentary about cryptocurrency that he directed.

Electric aircraft soon to fly in Texas skies

Texas cities are part of a pilot project to get electric aircraft airborne

Aerospace

Austin and other Texas cities could soon be on the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="vanguard of aviation" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2024/06/04/joby-aviation-xwing-autonomous-flight-evtol" data-vars-content-id="92e16a7b-bd61-47dd-af58-4be9332d54c8" data-vars-headline="Electric aircraft soon to fly in Texas skies" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2024/06/04/joby-aviation-xwing-autonomous-flight-evtol" target="_self">vanguard of aviation</a>, with innovative electric aircraft jetting off their runways.What&#x27;s happening: The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) was selected by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) this week for one of eight pilot projects nationally, with regional flights linking Dallas, Austin and San Antonio — with Houston planned next. <ul><li>Partners on the Texas project include the companies Archer, BETA, Joby and Wisk.</li></ul>The big picture: The U.S. is competing against China to lead in advanced air mobility.How it works: Most of the U.S. projects involve the use of electric aircraft that can take off or land vertically — imagine giant, low-flying electric drones carrying passengers or cargo that take off like helicopters and fly horizontally like traditional planes.<ul><li>Some will also include electric or hybrid planes that take off and land conventionally or require only a short runway.</li></ul>Zoom in: Operations in Texas cities could start later this year, Adam Hammons, a spokesperson with TxDOT, tells Axios. <ul><li>Initially, in a phase that could last three months, TxDOT will use traditional helicopters and fixed-wing planes alongside electric aircraft to fly the planned routes. These flights will carry equipment and perform tests without carrying commercial passengers, Hammons said. </li><li>In a second phase, operations will scale to medical and cargo logistics, such as transporting critical medical supplies or organs between rural facilities and urban medical centers in Austin and San Antonio.</li><li>Ultimately, after the electric aircraft receive final federal certifications, the network will scale — in two to three years — to commercial passenger &quot;air taxi&quot; flights, Hammons says.</li></ul>What they&#x27;re saying: &quot;Rather than isolated tests in a single city, TxDOT is building the infrastructure to handle the transition between urban, rural and state airspace,&quot; Hammons tells Axios.The bottom line: Together, the U.S. projects will create one of the largest real-world testing environments for next-generation aircraft in existence, the FAA said in a statement.Editor&#x27;s note: The headline to this story was clarified to reflect that the electric, propeller-driven aircraft will fly (not jet) in Texas.