Flanked by leaders in transportation policy and technology, officials with The Alliance for Transportation Innovation (ATI) announced plans for a coast-to-coast autonomous vehicle road trip, beginning later this month in Atlanta, GA.
The "AV Road Trip," announced at a news conference held in conjunction with the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, will bring self-driving technology directly to the public in cities across America. "There is no doubt that when it comes to self-driving vehicles, seeing is believing," said Paul Brubaker, president and CEO of ATI21.org.
The Washington, D.C.-based association said it advocates on behalf of the transportation technology industry to accelerate the adoption of innovative technologies that will reduce traffic deaths, improve the flow of urban commutes, safely deliver goods to market, eliminate human error and improve mobility for the underserved, disabled and elderly.
The first stop on the tour is Atlanta, GA on Jan. 26, followed closely by appearances in New Orleans, LA on Jan. 30; Arlington, TX, on Feb. 2; Los Angeles, CA on Feb. 6; and San Jose, CA on Feb. 9.
Mary E. Peters, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation, lauded ATI's efforts on behalf of autonomous technology and decried regulators for not keeping up with the pace of innovation.
"Vehicles that drive themselves, and systems that make them safe, are being conceived, invented, tested and refined at speeds that would make our heads spin," Peters said. "Yet the rules that govern the tech intended to make our lives better, our drive safer and our trips quicker, are stuck in time.”
"We are working to make sure innovation and its potential to make life easier and our streets safer is not frustrated by red tape and regulation," said Brubaker.
Splunk, Inc., provider of the software platform for real-time Operational Intelligence, and HDR, a global engineering, architectural and construction services firm, also are sponsors and demo participants of the 2017 tour.
