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.

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.

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

“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.