Waymo, currently in the process of rolling out driverless cars in Austin, uses GPS maps and sensor data to operates its vehicles. | Photo via Waymo
Spend enough time in Downtown Austin and you’re bound to see an autonomous vehicle — aka a vehicle roving around without a human in the driver’s seat.
There are six companies mapping, testing, and driving their AVs on Austin roadways as of December 2024. Here’s your guide to spotting them.
Hit the pavement
You could get your food delivered by an Avride robot.
Photo by ATXtoday
Only one AV company is in the deployment phase: Waymo. The driverless taxi service will roll out rides, in partnership with Uber, from electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles to the public in early 2025.
The majority of Austin’s AVs are currently in the testing phase:
ADMT of Volkswagen: using 10 of Volkswagen’s electric ID. Buzz buses, ADMT began testing in Austin in July 2023.
Avride: this company (which is based in Austin) is working to offer both driverless taxis and delivery robots, and announced a partnership with Uber for both services back in October.
60th Austin Trail of Lights | Now-Monday, Dec. 23 | 7-10 p.m. | Zilker Metropolitan Park | Free+ | It’s the first night of this Austin tradition returning to Zilker Park with the same twinkling lights displays you know and love.
“Golden Girls: The Laughs Continue” | Now-Sunday, Dec. 22 | Times vary | McCullough Theatre | $47+ | This professional stage show reimagines and pays tribute to Miami’s sassiest seniors.
“Elf” Craft + Quiz Party | 6-8:30 p.m. | Austin Creative Reuse Center | $25 | Wear a costume and BYOB to eat free candy, make holiday decorations, and compete in a trivia game.
Revel in the magic of the holidays at this historic Dallas hotel
Presented by The Adolphus
Each Holiday Glow package includes The Adolphus Signature Holiday Candle + $100 dining credit per stay. | Photos courtesy of The Adolphus
Whether it’s a romantic holiday escape, a family gathering, or a festive friends’ trip, a stay at The Adolphus is magical — even more so this time of year.
Cozy up in the heart of downtown Dallas to experience The Adolphus’ Holiday Glow Package. Guests have the chance to immerse themselves in festive surroundings within The Adolphus, adorned with seasonal decor around every corner and holiday cheer.
Those who book receive a $100 dining credit to be used at one of the five unique dining concepts on-site and The Adolphus Signature Holiday Candle created in partnership with Niven Morgan.
Austin is eating good. OpenTable’s top 100 restaurants of 2024 list named seven local spots (out of 10 in Texas). Aba, J Carver’s, Jeffrey’s Restaurant, Red Ash Italia, Sammie’s Italian, Uchi Austin, and Uchiko Austin all made the cut — view the full list.
Opening
Dallas-based coffee shop chain La La Land Kind Cafe is South Congress Avenue’s newest tenant. The shop — which will open near Hopdoddy Burger Bar on a yet-to-be-determined date — is known for its sleek white and yellow color scheme, kind messaging, and vibrant drinks. (Austin Business Journal)
Try This
East Austin’s Sign Bar is celebrating the holidays in a big way — with a 64-ft tree of lights. An homage to the Zilker Park holiday tree, Sign Bar’s version is made of 40 streamers with 50 lights each, perfect for spinning under.
Concert
The “Queen of Hip-Hop Soul”Mary J. Blige will stop at the Moody Center early next year for “The For My Fans Tour.” Special guests NE-YO and Mario will join the show on Monday, Feb. 17 — tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 13.
Festival
Start planning your 2025 festival season — ACL Music Festival will return to Zilker Park the weekends of October 3-5 and 10-12. Ticket presale begins at 10 a.m. tomorrow, Dec. 11, starting at $320 for a three-day wristband.
Announced
We’re “Walking On A Dream” because Empire of the Sun will bring the “Ask That God” tour to Austin’s Moody Amphitheater on Wednesday, May 14. Grab tickets starting at 10 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 13.
State
Are you team fake or real tree? Texans are increasingly opting for real trees, according to a study from the Forest Service. Texans buy ~four million trees each year, which amounted to $714 million in economic impact in 2022. (KXAN)
Sports
The Mavs have a shot at a championship title this year, with 10 wins out of the last 11 games. Get the biggest stories every day from the local experts of the Dallas Mavericks with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
Finance
Amplify Credit Union offers more than just the basics for your business. Members enjoy fee-free commercial banking with essential services. These valuable add-ons are designed to help grow your business, including free checking + savings accounts, free ACH positive pay, free wire transfers, and more. Here’s what you need to know.*
Plan Ahead
There are only a few weeks left in 2024. Use the remainder of your end-of-year budget + get your business in front of thousands. For a limited time, take 25% off ads in our self-service ad portal when you use promo code “2025" at checkout.
Category
Culture
🎁 Give green
Pavement sells clothes in recent styles and vintage, plus a wide selection of accessories. | Photo by @pavementaustin
Americans generate 25% more waste than average from Thanksgiving to the New Year, and a lot of it is due to our favorite tradition: gift-giving.
We prepared a few of our favorite tips for giving eco-friendly gifts.
Buy your gift secondhand
A thrifted gift can make for an excellent conversation starter and comes in all different shapes and sizes.
Moss Designer Consignment | Peruse through racks of luxury brands in-store or virtually from your couch.
The RealReal | This online authenticated luxury “recommerce” company now has a brick and mortar in The Domain.
Uncommon Objects | If you’re in the market for an antique, or maybe just something a little bizarre, stop into this local legacy store.
A meaningful gift that will surprise and delight: a hidden photo bracelet. Customize with the photo of your choice — the gift recipient can hold it up close to their eyes to see it, or project it on the wall with their phone’s flashlight.
One of my favorite local holiday traditions is shopping at the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar, which runs Saturday, Dec. 14 through Monday, Dec. 23 this year. One of the best parts is its online gift guides, so you can plan all your gifts before you even get in the car.
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