As Congress considers a key piece of legislation that would keep the momentum of self-driving cars—and the safety, environmental, and other benefits they bring—building, the Coalition is conducting special outreach to underscore the importance of ensuring our regulations and infrastructure consider self-driving vehicles.

Below is an ad from the campaign calling on Congress to “Greenlight autonomous vehicles.” There’s also a dedicated website, social outreach, and more.

Here are the Coalition’s big-picture priorities:

• Ensure Congress is providing clarity concerning appropriate federal and state roles when it comes to highly automated vehicles, particularly any state laws or regulations related to their design or performance;
• Ensure Congress is directing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to initiate rulemaking to update the current vehicle safety standards that do not contemplate highly automated vehicles; and
• Expand Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard exemptions, in number, duration and categories, to provide a safe mechanism for deploying highly automated vehicles.

For more on the coalition, visit its website, and support the #GreenlightAVs campaign by visiting the dedicated website, www.greenlightselfdriving.com and sending Congress an email!

No, pilotless aircraft are not here yet (though they’re probably coming, and they could be a financial windfall). What is happening at airports around the world is a huge push to cut emissions. Heathrow 2.0 is the mega-hub’s strategy, and the new, driverless, battery-powered remote-control tugs are part of it.

British Airways has put five of the devices, supplied by Mototok, in service at Heathrow’s Terminal 5 (T5). The tugs can run for about three days between charges, and the airport is installing charging stations at all 25 T5 gates.

These tugs are dedicated to British Airways Airbus narrowbody aircraft, but the airline is eyeing broader usage at Heathrow and other airports. While other airlines and aircraft operators use the tugs British Airways says it’s the first operator to use the tugs at multiple gates.

See below for a video of the tug in action, courtesy of British Airways. Meanwhile, Mototok has an excellent overview on the benefits of automated ground vehicles (AGVs).

ATI21 fully supports the effort—the details of which are spelled out in  H.R. 2997—we’ve made clear in our special report on the topic. Establishing a not-for-profit ATO will help ensure our airspace system develops at the pace of innovation—Uber Elevate, anyone?—while staying among the safest in the world. Unfortunately, there is a lot of misconception about what is on the table, and what it would mean to stakeholders.

Reason’s Bob Poole tackles a few of these misconceptions his most recent Airport Policy and Security News e-letter.

Among the points Poole makes: the new ATO organization would not be dominated by big airlines. As the text of the bill makes clear, the 13-member board would include three nominees from airline groups, and just one, from A4A, would represent big passenger airlines. The two other airline nominees would come from the Regional Airline Association and the Cargo Airline Association.

Another major misconception is that general aviation operators would pay “user fees” that are disproportionate to the services they require. The bill’s text is clear on this, too:

The amount or type of charges and fees paid by an air traffic services user may not—

(A) be determinant of the air traffic services provided to the user; or

(B) adversely impact the ability of the user to use or access any part of the national airspace system.

The bill also expressly prohibits fees tied to aircraft operated under FAA Part 91, 133, 135, 136, or 137—which, in plain English, means general or business aviation flyers. Instead, those operators—like all other users—would pay the fees established by the board, based on guidelines established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and used fund the maintaining and modernization of the U.S. National Airspace System.

Read Poole’s full article for more clear-headed thinking on why ATC reform is right for right now.

Designing roads and other infrastructure with autonomous vehicles in mind–by including sensors, for instance–will be a key step in advancing the technology and maximizing its benefits, says ATI21’s Paul Brubaker. Read AP’s summary of the Atlanta trials for more.

“Bill is in perfect alignment with our mission at ATI21,” said Paul Brubaker, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Alliance for Transportation Innovation. “At this critical moment in transportation technology, Bill and GRIDSMART are embracing innovation and challenging their competitors to do the same. That kind of thinking will be crucial to success as we create a path to the future of transportation.”

Malkes echoed the sentiment. “The Alliance for Transportation Innovation is bringing together the organizations, advocating for innovation and asking the difficult questions that will help define the future of mobility. At GRIDSMART, that’s exactly the kind of leadership we value and we’re extremely honored to have a voice in that conversation.”

Malkes will likely be busy in his new role. In the last year, ATI21 has published a comprehensive National Strategic Framework for accelerating the deployment of autonomous vehicles, undertaken America’s first coast to coast tour of autonomous vehicle technology and testified before Congress and multiple state legislatures on the critical need for adoption of emerging transportation technologies. “The transportation industry is evolving rapidly. Over the next decade, we’ll see incredible advances in technology, convenience and safety and in ATI21, we have a catalyst and a servant of the public good,” said Malkes.

GRIDSMART Technologies, Inc. is a leader in intelligent transportation systems as the world’s only single camera solution for intersection actuation, traffic data collection, and situational awareness. The GRIDSMART System uniquely collects and interprets vital traffic data to adjust signal timing and traffic flow strategies and enables real-time remote monitoring and visual assessment.

The GRIDSMART System is currently deployed in 22 countries and 49 states. For more information about GRIDSMART, please visit www.gridsmart.com.

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About GRIDSMART Technologies, Inc.:

Founded in 2006, GRIDSMART is a Knoxville, Tennessee based company backed by venture capital investment from across the United States. GRIDSMART systems include the industry’s only open API, built-in replay functionality, and a published change log. GRIDSMART products are built to be Simple, Flexible, and Transparent. For more information, visit gridsmart.com.

The Alliance for Transportation Innovation (ATI21)

ATI21 is a Washington D.C. based association that brings together transportation technology innovators, subject matter experts, and researchers committed to accelerating the adoption of innovative technologies that will transform the safe and efficient movement of people and goods. For more information visit the ATI21 website at www.ati21.org.

INTERSECT17

INTERSECT, the annual high-tech transportation conference created by GRIDSMART Technologies, Inc., will be held on November 14-16 at the company’s global headquarters in Knoxville, TN. Presented this year by the non-profit Alliance for Transportation Innovation (ATI21), INTERSECT17 will bring together top-tier industry and government leaders, distributors and innovators to ask tough questions, address difficult issues and seek solutions that will position the intelligent transportation industry and general public for success as it evolves. Over the course of three days with the theme “It’s time we had ‘The Talk,’” INTERSECT17 will attempt to map out and predict the path from transportation-now to transportation-future. For more information, please click here.

Together, we’re encouraging Congress to continue its push to introduce legislation critical to accelerating the realization of the immense safety and social benefits of self-driving vehicles.

We’re in for an exciting few weeks.  The Senate and House are both poised to introduce landmark legislation critical to ushering in a new era of transportation that will dramatically improve the safe and efficient movement of people and goods.  In this era of partisan division, the members of our coalition are united in our encouragement of those members in both houses and on both sides of the aisle in their effort to send a clear message that it is time for America to lead the transformation of mobility.

This should be most welcome news to the public, industry and investors.  Since the success of the DARPA Urban Challenge where a number of vehicles powered by sensors, cameras and computers successfully navigated a simulated urban environment, countless innovators from around the globe have been working on developing and combining the technology that will enable self-driving and new mobility models.

Like most recent transformations, there is a global technology race to develop and deploy these technologies as the economic windfall to the firms who get this right are massive.  This is not lost on governments, competitors or investors.  And while it is recognized that the U.S. invented this capability, global competition to lead the transformation in mobility is keen, cutthroat and coming from unexpected places.  While the United States is wrestling with whether to allow such technology on our streets, China and Japan have national plans to move forward with accelerating the deployment of self-driving and Finland, Denmark, United Kingdom, Germany and even the United Arab Emirates are quickly advancing autonomous transportation including automobiles, drones and maritime applications and pioneering the application of new mobility models such as mobility as a service or MaaS.

The potential safety, social and economic consequences of advancing self-driving vehicles are profound.  Globally more than 1.3 million people die in vehicle crashes every year and every day in the U.S. 100 people die on our highways and the government says more than 94 percent of those crashes are the result of human error.  These are our family members, friends and co-workers.  Accelerating the deployment of technologies hold the promise to dramatically reduce fatalities, injuries and the crashes that cost the U.S. economy almost $1 trillion every year.

These innovations also hold the promise to enable more. affordable and convenient transportation options for the disabled, elderly and working poor.  When deployed these innovations will allow senior citizens to maintain robust social lives, shop and access health providers even when they can no longer operate a vehicle; the working poor will see shared and affordable door to door transit options replacing their current long, cumbersome and stressful commutes; and the two million working age individuals with disabilities will now have access to much more convenient and affordable transportation options resulting in much fuller and richer lives.

The global economy can benefit immensely by generating new investment in supporting technologies and industries.  These technologies will eliminate congestion and delays resulting crashes that result in lost life, debilitating injuries and almost a trillion a year in mostly avoidable economic costs that can be redirected to other more productive investments.  We may see reductions in taxes as dramatic reductions in crash-related congestion and new efficiencies created through shared and efficient vehicle use will result in additional capacity from existing infrastructure.

By definition disruptions of this magnitude create uncertainty. We should be mindful that despite some who insist on painting a dystopian view of the future, throughout history these transformations have created opportunity and elevated society.  From the stirrup to the internet, modern history is rife with examples of nations embracing innovation flourishing and those who did not sometimes ceased to exist.

Innovation is America’s DNA and we should not cede the shaping of 21st-century mobility to others.  We invented it and Congress should be commended for working together to ensure America continues to lead the World in the development and deployment of innovations that will create the future of mobility. 

ATI21 is proud to join the Coalition for Future Mobility to advance America’s leadership in accelerating our path to the future.

“The findings of this survey show that we are at the beginning of a wave that will transform mobility in the 21st century.” According to Brubaker, “Success will depend on government figuring out when to lead, follow or get out of the way and establishing a permissive regulatory environment that will encourage innovation and testing.” He cited Finland as an example of working to create the appropriate regulatory framework. Anne Berner, the Minister of Transport and Communications from Finland presented earlier at the Conference and outlined her Government’s steps to create a regulatory environment that encourages innovation in the transportation sector such as MaaS. Here is the program. For more information and a copy of Brubaker’s presentation please contact ATI21.

Thank you Paul for that kind introduction. And thank you for inviting me here to recognize you for spending your Saturday doing important work that has the opportunity to transform the way Americans get where they want to go.

I never get tired of talking transportation. It has been my life’s work for more years than I want to remember. But beyond than that, it is so vital to everything that makes America great.

From our very own Henry Ford and his life-changing Model T, to the nostalgia of Route 66 and the transformation that came from President Dwight Eisenhower’s Interstate Highway System, to the innovations that many of you are bringing to the table this weekend – transportation is exciting… it is fun… it is truly what America is all about.

As Secretary of Transportation under President George W. Bush, and before that, Federal Highway Administrator, I have seen it all – new roads, new bridges, historic routes, airports, control towers, shipping lanes and light rail trains.

But what I enjoy more and more with each passing year is the innovation that is coming to our industry. First, it was cameras that allowed us to see traffic in real time. Then came ramp meters. They were all the rage.  And who could forget the first time we changed a traffic light using a camera mounted on the mast arm?

Today, we look back and chuckle a little because we have come so far. Take the Consumer Electronics Show for example. Did you know the VCR was unveiled here in 1970? The CD player and the camcorder both were introduced in 1981. The first Nintendo game system hit the scene in 1984. DVD’s debuted in 1996, HD television in 1998, satellite radio in the year 2000, and tablets and notebooks in 2010.

So what about this year? Why is this show… already famous for breaking the news of the latest personal electronics gadgets… now often referred to as the Las Vegas Car Show? Because technology is in our cars and more is coming our way.

That’s why your work this morning was so vital and why we appreciate the time you spent to contribute to ATI’s national policy framework.

Cars that drive themselves, and systems that make them safe, are being conceived, invented, tested and refined at speeds that would make our heads spin – yet the rules that govern the tech intended to make our lives better, our drive safer, and our trips quicker… are stuck in time.

Innovations at this show are leading the way, giving us a preview of what will be, but the truth is without some innovation in the regulatory space, the Consumer Electronics Show, and perhaps a few university parking lots, will be the only way to see, experience and benefit from the work being shared here in Las Vegas this weekend. We need to shake things up.

I spent my time at the U.S. Department of Transportation working to do just that. You might remember the trouble I caused when as Secretary I voided old congressional earmarks, funding that was on hold for years because recipients didn’t want the projects Congress ordered, and took the money to encourage creative projects meant to reduce traffic congestion. It didn’t go over well. I took a lot of angry phone calls from the Hill.

Now that isn’t as groundbreaking of an idea as a car that needs no driver, but to the policy wonks in D.C. it might as well have been an autonomous vehicle! They were none too pleased with me.

The point is and has been for a long time – Washington D.C. needs a new perspective – in this case, it needs a fresh approach to the rulemaking process. Regulators need to re-think the way they govern. And technology needs to lead the process, not be frustrated by it.

The self-driving technology at this show is no good to us if it can’t get off the convention floor and into our lives.

So how might the rules be changed to make autonomous vehicles possible in our lifetimes?

As an example, the Federal Transit Administration could decide to fund autonomous buses that could be used to service neighborhood routes or last-mile commuter connections. Today, the agency funds light rail fixed route systems and good old fashioned city buses. Imagine the impact such a decision would have on innovators? Some of you are in this room. You know what I am talking about.

I also know Paul Brubaker has lots of ideas for regulatory reform across the Department of Transportation’s modal administrations. I say let’s hear them and let’s make them happen.

We certainly need Washington to get with the program because states are starting to fill the vacuum and not always in good ways. The dispute between Uber and the California Motor Vehicle Division over its self-driving taxi testing program in San Francisco led the company to pull up stakes and re-locate to Arizona!

All of this of course happens as the Mayor of Sacramento declares his city wants to be an automated vehicle proving ground. There seems to be a short-circuit somewhere in the wiring between the state capitol and city hall!

Then there is Michigan, a state on the right track as lawmakers there just passed the most permissive self-driving car laws in the United States. The trouble is, Michigan is one state, so unless you don’t ever plan on driving south to Chicago in your driverless-car, you may need to keep the steering wheel just in case – otherwise it could be rough once you hit the Illinois state line.

Clearly, we need one set of rules, not 50, and they need to favor technology, not frown upon it.

The reason we get for the slow nature of the process is a focus on safety. Indeed, I preached that gospel as well when I was the Secretary.

But holding back technology until we are absolutely sure everything is 110 percent safe isn’t going to reduce traffic fatalities. It is going to encourage them. That’s because while we wait years for regulators to catch up to innovators, tens of thousands of Americans will continue to die in their cars, the victims of human-caused traffic crashes.

Even NHTSA – the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration – admits that 94 percent of traffic crashes involve human error. Now will computers make mistakes? It’s possible. But will they make mistakes 94 percent of the time? Highly unlikely. Lives will be saved.

Which brings us back to the importance of the policy framework imagined and brought to life by Paul and his team at the Alliance for Transportation Innovation – and enhanced further by your work here today.

NHTSA is one of about two dozen federal agencies and departments that have a role in the future of self-driving cars. And from my experience in Washington, I can tell you there is no way those agencies will be able to work together on their own.

That’s why, for me, the recommendation that President-elect Trump elevate this issue to a White House priority is key. The President is the only one who can make the agencies work together. He is the only one who will be able to force cooperation and enforce deadlines. Some agencies may be willing players on their own, but others will no doubt get caught up in territorial squabbles that will delay progress for the American people. The President must get involved and direct this process.

Beyond that, the recommendations and your contributions to them are vital if we are to make sense of the current policy quagmire that will only slow the deployment of self-driving cars even longer. Obviously, we don’t have time to wait.

Autonomous technology is here and people want it. They are nervous, but that will pass in the same way public fear of the Model T eventually gave way to widespread acceptance of automobiles, making travel by horseback a novelty rather than a necessity.

If government can get out of the way, the bright minds assembled in this room, and those showing their wares at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show, will deliver systems that are safe, reliable and efficient.

But most of all, they will deliver an entirely new driving, or should I say, riding experience, that will change the lives of the enabled and disabled, restore freedom of mobility to senior citizens, and save countless lives of people from coast to coast – forever.

Certainly driving is a part of life and has been so for generations. Letting go of the wheel will take some getting used to, but it is necessary and good. Why? Because as the famous author and columnist Dave Barry said: “Deep down inside, we all believe we are above-average drivers.” He is right and all of us are wrong. We need self-driving cars now. Our lives depend on it.

Thank you for your work today and the invitation to join you for lunch. I truly have enjoyed this opportunity to share my thoughts with you and I hope you intensify your efforts to make the self-driving future a reality as soon as possible.