The passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act prompted a Federal Highway Administration study into the effect of Automated Driving Systems (ADS) on transportation infrastructure, ease of transit, and the environment. Even at this early stage in their development, self-driving vehicles are providing solutions to longstanding transportation issues. States DOTs and transit authorities – such as in Minnesota – have begun forming strategic plans to guide and monitor the implementation of such technologies. Practitioners concerned about safety and practical aspects of automation or curious about the emerging practices should consider signing up for the DOT’s Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office (ITS JPO) Webinar. Held May 19th from 1pm – 2:30pm, it will cover the FHWA’s study and the early examples of technology expected to revolutionize human transportation.

You can register to attend the webinar at this link.

Speakers will present on the process of the FHWA’s study of ADS impacts, specific findings with regards to highway infrastructure, and a framework for analyzing both supply- and demand-side impacts of ADS on the overall transportation system. More information on the coming webinar can be found at this link.

Like any developing technology, new advancements and applications for ADS are made public on a regular basis. The safety implications alone of a self-driving future are immense; FHWA estimates suggest 90+% of crashes are caused by human error. Rural Transportation will continue to link studies, toolkits, strategies, and webinars providing further information. Previous posts on automated vehicle systems can be found here and here.