Transportation

The Texas airport, poised for what could be its busiest summer travel season ever, has deployed Enhanced Passenger Processing. It uses biometric facial screening to automate identity verification for international passengers.

Officials this week approved contributing $1.75 million in state transit funding to the $3 million project. That means driverless Ford passenger vans are a go, in a 12-month trial with Florida-based company Beep.

Micromobility offerings in Columbus, Ohio, and Washington, D.C., will soon include electric cargo bikes capable of transporting up to 100 pounds. More device types and expanded infrastructure are intended to drive usage.

In working with Kyndryl to replace its mainframe with the company’s MAX platform, the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles looks to give visitors more options and have staff handle complex tasks.

The state will continue to offer clean car and charging tax credits, an Environment Department spokesperson said. This follows voting by federal lawmakers to overturn a series of electric vehicle waivers in California.

Bus driver shortages and new concepts like school choice, offering a range of potential campuses, pose new challenges for school transportation planners. Digital route-planning tools with artificial intelligence can address both.

A project to connect Union Station in Los Angeles to Dodger Stadium via a mile-long gondola run aims to be done for the 2028 Summer Olympic Games. A similar aerial initiative is moving forward in neighboring Orange County.

The autonomous vehicle firm, a sister company to Google, will begin road trips this summer to test and explore its offerings in Houston, San Antonio and Orlando, Fla. In Houston, about 10 vehicles will be on the road.

The state wants to improve the customer experience for people who use the DMV, as well as boost security against digital criminals. This move is just the latest tech upgrade for DMVs in the U.S.

The private-public partnership has named its latest cohort. The companies now will set out to prove they can improve schedules, maintenance and inspections for the metro area’s transit system.

Technology continues changing our travel. Officials at Boston Logan International Airport are testing artificial intelligence to help travelers sort trash, and they’re eyeing remote terminals, with off-site security checks.

If approved, the state’s 2025-2026 proposed budget would fund pilots in Forsyth and Guilford counties to enable remote driver’s license renewals. Options could include home visits or third-party assistance.

Wisk Aero, a California-based air mobility company, is now showcasing an air taxi that could appear in the space above the Houston area by the end of the decade.

Waymo has gotten a green light to run its autonomous vehicle fleet in nearly all of San Jose, marking the first time in the city's history that a commercial driverless service can operate on its streets.

The Denver City Council is poised to adopt new rules for shared electronic scooters that would add parking requirements in some places while also ushering in a ban on sidewalk riding.

Documents indicate the autonomous vehicle company, a subsidiary of Alphabet, recalled 1,212 of its self-driving creations in 2024. Its latest software has addressed the issue, the company said.

A crash April 4 involving a driverless Zoox taxi and an electric bicycle didn’t result in any injuries. Data suggests autonomous vehicle companies are still learning as they gain experience, but experts expressed confidence in the technology.

The initiative is among its recent smart city endeavors. Others include working with Georgia Tech to debut a technology workspace that lets students learn among tech startups, and exploring smart mobility.