Rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft have taken the mobility world by storm since 2010, greatly expanding traditional taxi services that have been operating for decades. As autonomous vehicle technologies enter the scene, what does that mean for ridesharing?

In this PAVEcaset episode, we discuss the impact that AV technology might have on the future of ridesharing. Our panelists will talk about the possibilities this could open up, what that means for passengers, how to scale the technology, and what they predict for the future.

Guests:

• Bert Kaufman – Head of Public Policy & Regulatory Affairs, Zoox
• Sergio Avedian – Senior Contributor, The Rideshare Guy
• Mollie Cohen D’Agostino – Policy Director 3 Revolutions Future Mobility Program, Institute of Transportation Studies at UC-Davis

As autonomous vehicle technology becomes an increasingly visible piece of the transportation future, states are actively preparing for an autonomous future. There are countless questions they need to answer: What do these new technologies mean for infrastructure, first responders, or public transit systems?  What new policies or regulations are necessary?

We’ve invited officials from Maryland and Texas to join us for a discussion about what AV technology means for state transportation departments. They’ll share the changes they have seen so far and what they foresee in the future.

Guests:

• Darran Anderson – Director of Strategy and Innovation, Texas DOT
• Nanette Schieke – CAV Program Manager, Office of Innovation Maryland DOT

PAVE and the University of Michigan’s Center for Connected and Automated Transportation (CCAT) share a common goal of providing education on automated vehicles. We are excited to have Dr. Henry Liu, Professor at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Michigan and the Director at the Center for Connected and Automated Transportation (CCAT) join us for this exclusive PAVEcast episode.

Guest: Dr. Henry Liu, Director at the University of Michigan's Center for Connected and Automated Transportation

CCAT

Website: https://ccat.umtri.umich.edu/
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/UMichCCAT
Twitter: https://twitter.com/UMichCCAT
YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/CenterForConnectedAndAutomatedTransportation/

Mcity

Website: https://mcity.umich.edu/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/um-mcity/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/UMichMcit
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfJr7b987wY32I6QtIW0g2g

Do you have a question about autonomous vehicles you want answered? Maybe you’ve seen examples of self-driving cars on tv and want to know how realistic they are? Or you want to know if there are places where you can get pizza delivered in an autonomous pod?

PAVE has assembled some leading experts to answer all of your questions.

In this episode, we’ll ask our panelists to address some of the most common questions, misunderstandings, and misinformation about autonomous vehicle technology. They will deconstruct where the confusion comes from and provide the hype-free facts.

Guests

• Bryant Walker Smith – Associate Professor of Law, University of South Carolina
• Anuja Sonalker, Ph.D – CEO & Founder, STEER

One of the most common questions we hear about autonomous vehicles is “when will AVs be here?” … and the honest answer is: “well, it depends on where ‘here’ is!”

In this conversation, we will discuss why a better question may be “Where will AVs be?”

In this PAVEcast episode, we’ll explore the concept of the operating domain. We’ll talk about what makes some domains particularly suitable for AVs, what operating domains look like for today’s AVs, how mapping plays into these issues, and more!

Guests

• Sven Beiker, PhD – Managing Director, Silicon Valley Mobility
• Carter Stern – Senior Government Affairs Manager, Cruise

Moderator

• Tabitha Colter - Director of Operations, PAVE

Arlington RAPID, one of the first programs in the United States to integrate on-demand, autonomous vehicles (AVs) into an existing public transportation service, has provided more than 28,000 trips in its first year to residents, university students, and visitors around Downtown Arlington and The University of Texas at Arlington campus.

Since March 2021, the city has operated Arlington RAPID (Rideshare, Automation, and Payment Integration Demonstration) in partnership with Via, May Mobility, and UT Arlington through a grant provided by the Federal Transit Administration. The pilot program offers shared rides in autonomous vehicles, operated by May Mobility, through Arlington’s on-demand public transit system, Via Arlington. With a 98% rider satisfaction rating, it’s clear that the Arlington community embraced the pilot program.

In March 2022, the North Central Texas Council of Governments awarded the City of Arlington a new grant, which will enable RAPID to expand service and operate at least  through 2024.

In celebration of the anniversary of its launch, PAVE’s Tabitha Colter sat down with UT Arlington, the City of Arlington, Via Transportation, and May Mobility to reflect on lessons learned, how AVs fit into the future of mass transit, and much more. 

Guests:

• Ann Foss - Office of Strategic Initiatives, City of Arlington
• Dr. Sharareh Kermanshachi - Associate Professor, UT Arlington
• Fawna Tucker - Customer Success Manager, May Mobility
• Meghan Grela - Associate Principal, Via Transportation

Artificial intelligence is a branch of computer science focused on enabling robots and computers to perform tasks usually done by humans. This is a complicated concept, but it is critical to understanding how an autonomous system in a vehicle can work.

This discussion will look at the relationship between AI and AVs. We will demystify some of the key concepts of AI, we’ll discuss the role it plays in an autonomous vehicle system, we’ll look at how an AI-driven vehicle differs from a human-operated one, and more.

Panelists

• Mohammad Musa – Founder and CEO, Deepen AI
• Patrick Musau – PhD Candidate, Vanderbilt University
• Dave Tokic – VP Marketing & Strategic Partnerships, Algolux

Moderator

• Tabitha Colter - Director of Operations, PAVE

Throughout history, humans have seen new technologies through the lens of what came before – such as when the first cars were called “horseless carriages.”  As the technology advances, of course, these terms seem absurd in hindsight. 

Autonomous vehicles face this challenge today, as many of the most common misperceptions of this technology, and its possible futures, trace back to thinking of them purely as cars that happen to drive themselves. 

In this PAVEcast episode, we’ll start to recognize how our understanding of cars shapes our view of AVs. Our panelists will discuss the important lessons this influence filters out, why “driverless cars” are actually just one of many applications of autonomous technology, and how to start building a mental model for AVs that frees us from this subconscious constraint.

Panelists

• Adam Campbell – Senior Manager, Safety Innovation and Impact, Gatik
• John Lenneman, Ph.D. – Senior Principal Engineer, Collaborative Safety Research Center, Toyota Motor North America
• Joseph Putney – VP of Commercial Systems, RR.AI

Moderator

• Tabitha Colter - Director of Operations, PAVE

One of the most pressing highway safety issues we face today is helping drivers to understand the difference between autonomous driving – where the car is in control – and driver assistance features, which require an attentive driver behind the wheel.  Every car for sale today requires an attentive driver.

There are many ways to think and talk about the distinction between autonomy and driver assistance, and we can communicate the core elements of the distinction simply. However, digging beneath that surface level reveals a wealth of fascinating and important dynamics.

In this PAVEcast episode, our panelists explore the differences in function, operation, design and the human role in ways that connect effective public communication with the underlying realities of these different technologies.

Guests

• Hilary Cain – Vice President of Technology, Innovation & Mobility Policy, Alliance for Automotive Innovation
• Steve Neemeh – Chief Technical Officer (CTO), LHP Engineering Solutions
• Brad Stertz – Director of Government Affairs, Audi of America

New technologies – from ride hailing to micromobility to sidewalk robots – could increase flexibility and convenience for city residents, but they can also create challenges with clutter, safety, logistics, and congestion.

In this PAVEcast episode, we look at the lessons that the AV sector can learn from some of these product rollouts, how to improve communication and build informed consent with local communities and governments, and why these trust-building measures are in the technology’s best interests.

Panelists

• Monica Laufer – Public Policy and Government Relations Manager, Argo AI
• Sabrina Sussman – Chief Administrative Officer and Senior Advisor, Ballast Research
• Marla Westervelt – Head of Policy, Coalition for Reimagined Mobility

Moderator

• Ed Niedermeyer - Communications Director, PAVE