September 27, 2017                                                                                                Sean Broderick (ATI21), 202-355-9466

Advanced Vehicle Autonomy:  Sci-Fi Dream or Soon-to-Be Reality?

Autos2050℠ Event Announced for Nation’s Capital in January

Washington, D.C. – The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers (Auto Alliance) and the Alliance for Transportation Innovation (ATI21) today announced the first annual Autos2050℠ Conference and ”Driving Innovation Awards” dinner to be held Wednesday, January 24, 2018 at the Marriott Marquis in conjunction with the 2018 Washington, DC Auto Show.

Autos2050℠ will focus on the crossroads of public policy and automotive technology, bringing together leaders from across the automotive ecosystem, along other high tech innovators, lawmakers, policy advocates and stakeholders, including the international community.

“This is a transformative moment in mobility,” said Mitch Bainwol, president and CEO, Auto Alliance, “one that will forever be defined and shaped by the fusion of emerging technology and evolving public policy. Autos2050℠ – set squarely within the epicenter of federal activity in this area – will dissect the issues and offer careful analysis and perspectives by thought leaders and policy experts.”

“There are multiple layers of debate about how to best advance autonomy in the transportation sector,” said Paul Brubaker, CEO and President of ATI21.  “We chose the name ‘Autos2050℠’ because actions today will determine what auto-mobility looks like in 2050, a time when self-driving vehicles will be commonplace on our roads.”

The 2018 conference will focus on three themes:

• The Future of Self-Driving:  Is Level 5 the Holy Grail of Autonomy? Some people see self-driving as a long-range evolution, while others seek to leap-frog ahead to full autonomy.  What is a realistic timeline for realizing the benefits of self-driving, and is there a best way forward?
• Sensors, AI and Machine Learning:  Separating the Hype from Reality. When will the underlying technologies that enable self-driving become available, affordable and integrated into the fleet?  What barriers lie in the road ahead, and how can self-driving cars get around them?
• Connectivity, Data and Cybersecurity:  Maximizing the Benefits and Minimizing the Risks.  The volume of data required to operate a self-driving vehicle will increase exponentially as sensors, programs and computing capacity becomes faster, more sophisticated and data-driven.  How can we ensure a secure future?

The conference will open with the “National Leadership in Auto Innovation” luncheon, with an award acknowledging the contributions of the keynote speaker – to be announced soon. This luncheon is being held jointly with the “International Mobility Talks” conference sponsored by the Washington, DC Auto Show in the morning of January 24 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

Dinner to Celebrate Those Making Future Advancements a Reality Today

Separate from the conference, the Alliance and ATI21 will also host the “Driving Innovation Awards” reception and dinner beginning at 8 pm on January 24 at the Marriott Marquis. This  event will recognize industry and policy leaders who are shaping the future of the automobile and greater mobility.

Registration Open Online Now

For more information and to register for the Autos2050℠ Conference/luncheon and the “Driving Innovation Awards” dinner, visit Autos2050.com.

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The Alliance for Transportation Innovation (ATI21) is a consortium of transportation technology innovators, subject matter experts, and researchers. The consortium is dedicated to increasing public and stakeholder awareness of the transformative safety, sociological, and economic improvements that can be realized through the accelerated development and deployment of advanced transportation technologies. Visit www.ati21.org.

The Auto Alliance is a trade association representing 12 automakers. Together, our mission is to promote policies that allow automakers the freedom and control to build cars and light trucks that are safe, reliable, energy-efficient, clean and smart — all so our customers can enjoy greater peace of mind as they go about their daily lives. Visit www.autoalliance.org.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) does an exceptional job regulating aviation safety. It does an exceptionally poor job managing complex technical projects. That should come as no surprise, as these complex challenges require fundamentally different skill sets. Unfortunately, both challenges must be met for the U.S. to maintain its lead in global aviation, and this is why Congress should embrace changes, proposed by Bill Shuster, that would establish a federally chartered, not-for-profit corporation to manage air traffic control—the technological core of our National Airspace System (NAS).

Read the full story published on The Hill By Paul Brubaker, Opinion Contributor – 07/19/17 06:10 PM EDT

Mobility is changing the way people and goods get from place to place—and fast. And while self-driving cars and Hyperloop-powered, 30-min. trips between New York and Washington are grabbing headlines, the shift isn’t happening only on the ground. Plans are in the works for a supersonic airliner and autonomous, electric planes that will create an Uber-in-the-sky—all within a decade.

Simply put, aviation—no stranger to revolutionary advances—is on the cusp of changes not seen since the dawn of the Jet Age 60 years ago. Technology, ranging from autonomy to alternative power, will allow for commercial applications of concepts that were difficult to comprehend just a few years ago.

The evolution requires more than innovative companies  harnessing leading-edge technology. It also requires a forward-leaning approach to the way we manage the space in which these new services will operate. The U.S. National Airspace System (NAS)—the network of airports, navigation aids and technology that ensures safe, efficient air travel in the world’s busiest airspace—is at a critical point in its history. It’s the safest in the world, but its technologically deficient.

Efforts to boost its efficiency by modernizing it, led by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and guided by Congress, have not kept up with technology, or even other countries. This technological deficit will grow more profound as the next generation of air transportation services—drones, ultra-fast transports, and the like—emerges.

The Alliance for Transportation Innovation (ATI21) examined FAA’s efforts to inject much-needed technology advancements into the NAS, and found a predictable pattern. Simply put, FAA’s inability to manage large, complex, technology-focused projects has left the U.S. aviation system behind its counterparts, and falling short of where it needs to be to serve today’s users. Rapid advances mean that tomorrow’s users will be even further behind.

Ensuring the U.S. airspace system is prepared for the future means taking a different approach. For this reason, ATI21 supports establishing a federally chartered, not-for-profit corporation to operate and modernize the NAS. The recommendation is one of nine in ATI21’s new report, “Creating a 21^st Century Air Space Management System.”

The debate over what some inaccurately label “privatization” of our airspace management has been focused on the wrong things. It isn’t about who controls the decision-making or how projects are funded. Compromises in these areas are at hand—as they have been for decades.

The issue is whether current and future users are getting the best system possible—one that maintains the incredible safety record while creating a foundation for growth and innovation that will allow U.S. aerospace to thrive.

As we look forward, it is important to focus on what is possible to help us understand what is necessary. Ensuring the NAS’s technological capabilities requires bold—and necessary—changes.

Download full report – Creating a 21st Century Air Space Management System