Equity, safety, accessibility and affordability are front of mind as the city prepares for robotaxis and other autonomous vehicles.
The Seattle Department of Transportation is preparing itself for autonomous vehicles, reports Dan Zukowski in Smart Cities Dive. Last summer, the department convened a working group known as the Autonomous Vehicle Inclusive Planning Cohort that has now released a report that outlines seven key priorities for the city.
According to Zukowski, “Seattle wants to set expectations for AV and robotaxi companies regarding data safety sharing, fair pricing for users and accessible vehicle designs.”
The working group’s recommendations focus on accessibility and affordability, safety standards, data sharing, and equity. The report calls for “Using Seattle DOT’s Racial Equity Toolkit to guide policy; developing partnerships between the AV industry and underserved communities and addressing embedded biases in AV technology.”
Currently, two companies, Zoox and Nvidia, hold street use permits that allow them to test autonomous cars on Seattle roads.
FULL STORY: Seattle outlines 7 priorities for autonomous vehicle adoption
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