Welcome to the Future: Self-Driving Cars February 2014 Dear Friends, Its finally beginning to feel like the 21st Century. Weve been wondering when our flying cars (Blade Runner), housekeeping robots (the Jetsons Rosie) and meal replicators (Star Trek) were going to show up. Fortunately, the wait for one of science fictions promised technologies is on the horizon: Driverless Cars, also known as Autonomous Vehicles, or as weve come to think of them, Auto-Autos. Were experiencing one of the most dramatic advances in transportation since we shifted from the horse-drawn buggy to the Model A Ford. Its a good time to be alive. Estimates put self-driving cars onto the streets as soon as 2018, with the majority of cars being self-driving by 2035. Imagine our public spaces designed for humans rather than cars. Imagine a woman with a visual impairment, who in todays environment relies on fixed route public transportation, expensive taxis or paratransit, requesting an autonomous vehicle to pick her up at her doorstep, drive her to the office, and then drive off to assist the next passenger. On behalf of the National Council on Disability (NCD), DREDF is conducting research to make sure that people with disabilities are part of this transportation revolution. Marilyn Golden, our Senior Policy Analyst and transportation advocate, is overseeing research that is aimed at identifying and addressing any technological, policy or attitudinal barriers that may prevent people with disabilities from benefitting from this incredibly promising technology as it moves forward and self-driving vehicles become available to consumers. While we have come a long way since the Americans with Disabilities Act, a lack of reliable, accessible and affordable transportation in the 21st century continues to impede the ability of many people with disabilities to obtain successful employment, take advantage of educational opportunities, receive quality healthcare, or be active, independent community participants. The development of autonomous vehicles has tremendous potential to significantly benefit the lives of people with a diverse range of disabilities. DREDF and NCD want to make sure we get there. The media is going wild with stories about self-driving cars, but with little attention focused on how the cars could be used by individuals with disabilities. One of the few pieces highlighting how self-driving cars will change lives in our community is dredf.us2.list-manage/track/click?u=d8372142072c8ce7f2e90e349&id=93b415a307&e=48e2d085b7 Googles video featuring a man with vision impairments. One of our goals is to infiltrate the automotive industry, technology leaders and the public discourse on self-driving cars with information about their potential to change the lives of individuals with disabilities. Some of the specific issues were looking into that have the potential to create barriers for people with disabilities include state regulations; how insurance companies adapt; licensing requirements; and, of course, cost. Can all these obstacles be safely resolved? While we work on these practical issues, were enjoying this fantastic leap into the future with NCD.
Posted on: Mon, 10 Mar 2014 18:14:00 +0000
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