Share the Road 2.0

On August 22, I will be participating in a panel discussion at Carnegie Mellon University with researchers, transportation agency staff, and industry leaders about the implications of autonomous and connected vehicles.

I am looking forward to the opportunity to share the voice of bicyclists with an audience that may shape the next major transportation revolution in our country.

Please consider taking this survey, and passing it along, so I can share your voice and opinions.

Automated and connected vehicles are two related technologies that have the potential to reduce driver error, change traffic flows, and change the way in which people drive (or don’t). Optimists predict a world of shared-use self-driving taxis that never crash and allow people to sleep, work, or be online as they are whisked from one location to the next. Pessimists predict a world where self-driving cars are primarily used by wealthier people and exacerbate our car-oriented transportation system, undermining transit and increasing vehicle travel. With both of these technologies likely appearing on our roads within the decade, now is the time to share your voice and shape the future.

Background

Autonomous vehicles are vehicles with technologies that enable the vehicle, rather than a human driver, to operate safely and effectively on a road. Autonomous vehicles are most associated with Google’s driverless car research and are vehicles that perform all driving functions for an entire trip. NHTSA has described a spectrum of automation with full self-driving automation as the most advanced extreme.

Connected vehicles are vehicles with technologies that enable vehicles to communicate with other vehicles, infrastructure, and other devices that use the same technology. This connectivity allows vehicles to share information about where they are and what they are doing for a variety of purposes. NHTSA is currently researching connected vehicle technology through a large pilot program and is expected to require this technology in new cars at some point in the future.