A study from Southern Methodist University suggests that fully autonomous vehicles could reduce traffic delays in the Dallas-Fort Worth area by as much as 33 percent, without the need for new highway construction. This finding highlights Texas's role as a leader in the development and implementation of driverless technology, which has implications for cities like Denison, located approximately 70 miles north of Dallas.
The research, led by Khaled Abdelghany at SMU's Stephanie and Hunter Hunt Institute for Engineering and Humanity, utilized traffic modeling funded in part by the region's council of governments. The study conducted 25 experiments simulating traffic conditions in 2045, examining scenarios with 100 percent, 50 percent, and 25 percent adoption of autonomous vehicles.
In the scenario with full adoption, delays were reduced by up to 33 percent, and the time spent in congested traffic decreased by at least 19 percent.
Human drivers often create traffic jams through inconsistent driving behaviors, which autonomous vehicles could mitigate by driving more smoothly and consistently. According to the 2024 rankings, Dallas is the 17th most congested city in the U.S., with drivers losing approximately 36 hours annually to traffic.
Texas is already advancing in the realm of driverless technology. Aurora Innovation launched the first commercial driverless deliveries in the U.S. between Dallas and Houston in April 2025, operating trucks along the I-45 corridor without human drivers. This corridor is significant, as nearly half of Texas's truck freight travels between these two cities.
Aurora has expanded its operations to include a second route from Fort Worth to El Paso and plans to deploy hundreds of trucks.
Other companies, including Kodiak Robotics and Waymo Via, are also actively developing autonomous trucking services in Texas, solidifying the state's position as a hub for the industry. On the passenger side, Waymo has been providing a paid robotaxi service in Austin and has extended its service to select riders in Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio, with plans for broader availability.
While the rise of autonomous vehicles raises questions about job displacement, experts suggest that the nature of work will change rather than vanish. Positions such as technicians, remote operators, and staff involved in logistics will still be necessary. Industry estimates predict that autonomous vehicles could contribute approximately $70 billion to the U.S. GDP and create around 9 million jobs globally by 2030.
It is important to note that the 33 percent reduction in traffic delays is based on a scenario of complete adoption of driverless vehicles, which is not expected to occur in the near term. Research from MIT indicates that many autonomous vehicle hours are spent without passengers, as vehicles reposition between fares.
