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Many Challenges to MAAS in the U.S.

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Burney Simpson

The developers behind the Babcock Ranch in Florida face challenges as they position it as the first planned community for driverless transportation. It is to feature electric-powered self-driving vehicles and public transit on-demand with an Uber-type app. (“America’s First ‘Truly Sustainable’ Town Will Run on Driverless Transit”).

Transportation in Babcock is a step towards Mobility As A Service (MAAS) where consumers give up their own vehicle and rely instead on a combination of public transit, rideshare (i.e. Uber), biking and walking.

A user will pay a monthly subscription fee to access with their smartphones the MAAS door-to-door transportation service.

Once onboard, the subscriber researches, books, and pays for their best transportation option among a slew of transportation providers, which may also include car share (i.e. zipcar), van pool, cabs, bikeshare, and possibly a limo service.

The real-time service means the subscriber can preplan a journey, or find, pay for, and jump on the best option on the fly.

top-slides-maas4A MAAS subscription may prove cheaper than the money spent buying or leasing a vehicle, along with gas, insurance, maintenance, parking, various state licensing fees, tickets, ad nauseam.

Savings alone makes MAAS intriguing but it comes with large challenges. Selling the concept in the U.S. may be especially difficult as car ownership is ingrained with 80 percent of all trips taken in personally-owned-vehicles.

In Europe, MAAS Finland plans to offer a monthly subscription and a single journey payment system, though it hasn’t launched yet. This video from the Finish Ministry of Transport and Communication neatly describes MAAS in animated form.

Information is vital to a MAAS system.

For example, schedules and fees of the transportation providers will have to be online, integrated and continuously updated. That goes for weather and road condition information.

The subscriber’s payment account and any special transport needs must be on hand.

That presents a hurdle for any MAAS operator in the U.S., according to transportation consultant Carol Schweiger’s presentation “Bringing Mobility as a Service to the U.S.: Opportunities and Challenges” where she outlines issues.

  • In practice, some public transit providers don’t share information with other providers, whether internally or externally. That is, the bus division doesn’t communicate well with the subway system, and neither talks to the bus system operated by the county next door.
  • Can a transit system with this kind of institutional mindset share its performance data with an Uber or a Velib bikeshare program?
  • Public transit organizations will also have to find the funds to build and maintain this 21st Century communications system, and to accept electronic payments.
  • Should there be a single regulator for an entire MAAS system, or do you keep separate offices such as one for transit and another for cabs?
  • Publicly-owned transportation providers must determine how to include travelers that don’t have smartphones and a payment card.
  • And then there’s such technical issues as cybersecurity, and providing service in the event of a system failure.

There are efforts to address some of these issues.

The transit app Moovit announced this month it would be integrated into Uber’s app in 131 cities in 22 countries.

MAAS COLLABORATION

Moovit users plan local travel options by checking their transit provider’s route data. Adding Uber is designed to help Moovit-ites better navigate the first mile/last mile of their journey.

A number of transit systems are considering using Uber to provide some part of their service for riders with disabilities.

The largest MAAS project in the U.S. now may be the one conducted by Joint Venture Silicon Valley that focuses on commuting in the San Francisco Bay area.

Joint Venture’s MAAS is collaborating with Palo Alto, San Jose and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA).

It seeks to integrate mobility apps with work transportation programs provided by employers like Enterprise Commute Trip Reduction (ECTR). It claims six important stakeholders in its commuting ‘ecosystem’: cities, transit agencies, mobility service providers, large employers, small employers, and ECTR software providers.

It plans this year to launch a Mobility Aggregation smartphone app that might support public and private transit, Carma ridesharing; Motivate bike share; Lyft Line and Flywheel; Car2Go, DriveNow, and Zipcar car sharing; and smartphone e-ticketing.

A second app might support public and private transit; Motivate bike share; UberPool; Car2Go and DriveNow; and smartphone e-ticketing.

Graphic is by Sampo Hietanen, CEO of MAAS Finland; One Seamless App by Joint Venture Silicon Valley.

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Michigan Might Match Florida’s Driverless Rules

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Burney Simpson

The Michigan legislature may soon consider a proposal that would allow the state to match the freewheeling driverless vehicle laws just enacted by Florida.

Michigan now allows the testing of autonomous cars on its roads under certain conditions by certain operators, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Michigan’s state Sen. Mike Kowall plans to introduce a bill that would jettison the testing requirement for the operation of driverless vehicles on the state’s roads, according to a report from Crain’s Detroit Business.

In April Florida enacted a law that gives those with a driver’s license the right to operate an autonomous vehicle on its roads without any testing requirement.

The potential Florida/Michigan match-up is the latest in the competition between the states for autonomous driving bragging rights and research dollars. States from Massachusetts to California are opening driverless test tracks or considering loosening rules for firms seeking to develop the technology in their borders.

Kowall, a Republican from White Lake and the Senate’s Majority Floor Leader, has already introduced a bill that would make it a felony to intentionally damage and/or take control of the computer system of a motor vehicle.

And in March the Michigan Senate passed a Kowall resolution calling for the adoption of intelligent transportation system technology throughout Michigan, and urged further testing of autonomous and connected vehicles.

Kowall told Crain’s he plans to introduce a series of bills on driverless vehicles that would discard the rules requiring testing, set insurance liability requirements for connected vehicle equipment manufacturers, and officially name the American Center for Mobility in Ypsilanti, Mich., a national center for the study of autonomous and connected vehicle technology.

FLORIDA SUN SHINES ON DRIVERLESS CARS

Florida300aOther states aren’t standing idly by, nor are they waiting for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to release its state policy guidelines on driverless vehicles this summer.

Florida roared ahead when it allowed the operation of autonomous vehicles on its roads by someone with a valid driver’s license (See “Florida Takes Brakes Off Driverless Tech”).

That law removes a previous testing requirement, and it allows the ‘driver’ to operate the vehicle even if she is not physically in the vehicle.

Tennessee last week enacted a bill allowing for the live testing of driverless vehicles that have been certified by the state, as long as a driver is present in the vehicle that has certain safety equipment installed. The law also creates a per-mile tax structure for the vehicles.

Tennessee calls itself the leading state for automotive manufacturing with GM, Nissan, Volkswagen, parts supplier Denso, and many others operating plants there.

Massachusetts is reportedly preparing to allow the testing of autonomous vehicles at a 60-acre site on the decommissioned Devens military base about an hour from Boston (“Driverless Testing in Massachusetts ‘in a Few Weeks’”).

Devens would be convenient for autonomous researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Volpe Transportation Systems Center.

That could compete with Michigan’s 335-acre American Center for Mobility that could become a big brother to Ann Arbor’s 32-acre Mcity autonomous vehicle test site that opened in 2015.

Michigan and Florida, along with California, Nevada and the District of Columbia, have enacted legislation allowing for the operation of driverless vehicles on their roads.

GOLDEN STATE SEES GOLD IN DRIVERLESS TECH

CaliforniaMap1California has approved 12 firms to conduct driverless testing. Many of the global auto OEMs and Tier 1 auto suppliers have operations in Silicon Valley.

The California General Assembly this month moved on several proposals that would reduce the authority of the state Department of Motor Vehicles over autonomous vehicles.

Some legislators have argued the DMV is hindering the development of the technology with unnecessary regulations (See “California Pols to DMV: Relax Draft Driverless Regs”).

Last week a bill that would require the DMV to hold public hearings on the NHTSA guidelines was approved by a 76 to 0 margin. Sponsor Assemblywoman Ling Ling Change has made no secret that she believes the DMV needs to get out of the way.

And the Transportation Committee approved AB 2862 that would allow the testing of autonomous vehicles without a driver, steering wheel, and brake and accelerator pedals. Autonomous testing leader Google had a hissy fit when the DMV in December released draft rules requiring such equipment.

The governors of Arizona and Virginia last year allowed for greater testing on their roads, while North Dakota and Utah have called for further research on autonomous vehicles.

Photos by Michigan Municipal League, 2011; California_map by Julie Jordan Scott, 2010; Florida February 2008 by Image Editor.

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Driverless Testing in Massachusetts ‘in a Few Weeks’

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Burney Simpson

Massachusetts may soon be testing autonomous vehicle technology at an 80-acre site about an hour’s drive from Boston.

Devens, a 4,400 acre former army base, is being marketed as a driverless test site by MassDevelopment, the state’s economic development and finance agency, according to reports. Military housing has been demolished on parts of the site but it has electric, water, and sewer infrastructure.  

Thatcher Kezer, SVP with MassDevelopment, says there is strong interest in testing at the site by several autonomous vehicle technology firms and organizations with operations in Massachusetts.

“Within the next few weeks, they’ll be testing,” Kezer told the Boston Herald this week.

Four firms, including one that would test a car and a second that will review driverless sensors, are ready to sign contracts, said Kezer who declined to share company names.

A FAVORABLE TESTING ENVVIRONMENT

Devens might attract Cambridge-based nuTonomy, a developer of autonomous vehicle software and algorithms. NuTonomy plans to begin on-road testing of a driverless taxi system this year in Singapore’s One North business district.

That city-state has “a more favorable testing and regulatory environment,” nuTonomy founder Karl Iagnemma told Masslive.com.

However, Massachusetts offers weather that could provide a true test of vehicle capability, according to an executive with the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center in Cambridge.

“If your vehicle can drive in Massachusetts,” it can drive anywhere, Ryan Harrington, chief of Volpe’s Technology Policy and Innovation division told the Herald.

nutonomy2Along with Volpe, the state is home to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. Nutonomy’s Iagnemma and CTO Emilio Frazzoli have MIT connections.

Devens came to the fore this week at a meeting held in Boston that brought together officials from companies involved with driverless vehicles and robotics research along with Massachusetts’ transportation department and economic development arm.

Representatives from GM, Volkswagen, Lyft, and Zipcar attended the meeting.

Due to its size and links with driverless leaders the Devens site could offer competition to major autonomous vehicle test sites such as Mcity in Michigan, GoMentum in California, and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute.

Michigan is preparing to greatly expand autonomous testing with the development of the 330-acre Willow Run site.

The Devens site was the U.S. Army’s New England headquarters for 79 years. It was closed in 1996 as part of military base realignment. MassDevelopment controls the area that now houses 100 business and organizations employing about 4,000 workers.

MassDevelopment says in 2015 it had a hand in nearly 300 projects that generated investment of more than $2.5 billion in the state.

Graphic of Devens by MassDevelopment; photo by NuTonomy.

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Florida Takes Brakes Off Driverless Tech

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Burney Simpson

The Florida legislature just shifted the state into high gear in its effort to expand the testing of autonomous vehicles.

The Sunshine State enacted a transportation bill that allows someone with a valid drivers’ license to drive an autonomous vehicle on public roads; gave autonomous vehicles some leeway in the equipment they can use; set in motion a truck platooning test; and required metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) to consider autonomous technology when writing long-range transportation plans.

The legislation takes effect on July 1.

The bill included eight provisions related to autonomous vehicle technology. (A summary by the Florida Senate of the bill’s “changes specific to the operation and regulation of autonomous vehicles” is pasted below).

The biggest step is giving licensed drivers the freedom to operate autonomous vehicles, and clarifying some rules on testing.

Another part gives autonomous vehicle operators the right to install video screens near the driver, and to use other equipment so they can monitor the vehicles performance. The provision bans related equipment from standard vehicles.

A provision requiring MPOs to include advances in driving technology in their 20-year plans could become influential. Many planners complain that cities aren’t getting ready for the possible revolution in transportation that driverless vehicles may bring.

The platooning portion doesn’t make platooning legal but waives for testing purposes some current rules on the following distance that trucks are allowed, according to Ken Armstrong, president and CEO of the Florida Trucking Association.

Armstrong says his organization is supportive of autonomous vehicles but not necessarily driverless vehicles.

“If this can save money, and save hours of service — there are a lot of reasons to support it,” said Armstrong.

STATE COMPETITION

The new law puts Florida in the thick of state competition for autonomous and connected vehicle testing dollars from auto OEMs, Tier 1 auto suppliers, and others.

Florida state Sen. Jeff Brandes, who crafted sections of the bill related to autonomous vehicles, told the Orlando Sentinel that he worked “with partners at Audi and Google – the original equipment manufacturers” on the legislation.

Florida, California, Michigan, Nevada, and the District of Columbia have enacted legislation allowing for testing of autonomous vehicles on their public roads, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Virginia and Arizona later joined this club through executive actions by their governors. North Dakota and Utah have approved studies of autonomous vehicles.

The Tennessee legislature recently passed a bill from state Sen. Mark Green that could lead to the operation of autonomous vehicles on its roads as soon as next January. However, that proposal awaits the governor’s signature.

Tampa, along with the state of Wyoming and New York City, is part of a U.S. Department of Transportation test of connected vehicles. The Tampa portion focuses on implementing connected technology on a local freeway and its possible impact on commuters.

The Florida Senate’s legislative tracking service provided this summation of the transportation bill’s provisions on autonomous vehicles:

  • Clarifying that the authorization for a person holding a valid driver license to operate an autonomous vehicle applies on the public roads of this state.
  • Revising provisions regarding the operation of autonomous vehicles on roads for testing purposes.
  • Revising equipment requirements for autonomous vehicles, requiring a system to alert an operator of a technology failure and to take control, or to stop the vehicle under certain conditions.
  • Prohibiting operation of a motor vehicle on the highways of this state while the vehicle is in motion if the vehicle is actively displaying moving television broadcast or pre-recorded video entertainment content visible from the driver’s seat, unless the vehicle is equipped with autonomous technology and is being operated in autonomous mode.
  • Providing that an electronic display used by an operator of a vehicle equipped with autonomous technology or by an operator of a vehicle equipped with driver-assistive truck platooning technology is not prohibited.
  • Defining the term “driver-assistive truck platooning technology;” requiring the FDOT to study, in consultation with the FDHSMV, the use and safe operation of driver assistive truck platooning technology; and authorizing a pilot project to test vehicles equipped with such technology.
  • Requiring manufacturers of such technology to provide insurance before the start of the pilot project and requiring the FDOT, in consultation with the FDHSMV, to report the results of the study and any findings or recommendations from the pilot project.
  • Requiring metropolitan planning organizations to accommodate advances in vehicle technology when developing long-range transportation plans and requiring the FDOT to accommodate advances in vehicle technology when updating the Strategic Intermodal System Plan.

Photo of Beach Hop by Floyd Wilde.

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Canada Plans for the Disruption of Automated Vehicles

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Barrie Kirk

Barrie Kirk, co-founder and executive director of the Canadian Automated Vehicles Centre of Excellence (CAVCOE), reports from last week’s Toronto conference — Automated Vehicles: Planning the Next Disruptive Technology.

The Automated Vehicles: Planning the Next Disruptive Technology conference was organized by the Conference Board of Canada and attracted a large number of attendees from all levels of government, the private sector and academia.

Highlights included:

  • I had the opportunity to give the keynote address opening the conference. I gave an overview of just what automated vehicles will mean — huge, disruptive changes to our lives, society and the economy. Our cities and our world will look very different in 2030 compared to today. We need this to be actively managed by all levels of government to maximize the benefits to everybody in the 21st century.
  • Antoine Belaieff of Metrolinx, a public transportation agency in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area, spoke about the benefits of AVs for greater mobility, safety, lowering costs, and the opportunities to re-invent trucking and goods movement.
  • Stephen Buckley of the City of Toronto described how AVs can be used to build better cities. He asked: “How do we harness AVs to give us the city we want?”
  • John Eddy of ARUP suggested a government policy of no new lane miles.
  • Antonio Gomex-Palacio of DIALOG described the real opportunities for re-designing cities if we can eliminate personal car ownership. For example, condos are now being built in Toronto without parking.
  • A very interesting session addressed data ownership and data privacy. A key battle is between the different stakeholders who all want to own the data generated by AVs. Also, there is no such thing as 100 percent security of data and this will be an ongoing issue. Another area of concern is “function creep” in which data is collected for one purpose and is then used for something else. This is an area where we need government intervention and standards because, clearly, the market is not addressing this.
  • Karlyn Stanley of Rand Corp. discussed the similarities between data from smartphones and that from AVs and connected vehicles. From a data perspective, an AV is a smartphone on wheels. The auto industry lacks a consensus on protecting data generated by cars. This is made worse by consumers’ willingness to trade personal data to obtain benefits, which is the case with Usage Based Insurance (UBI).
  • Sean Rathwell with Dillon Consulting reported on a recent series of discussions with municipalities. The conclusion is that municipalities are not prepared for the arrival of AVs. Similarly, the transit agencies will be reactive and wait for the technology. Sean also said that current traffic modelling tools are not adequate for analyzing traffic in the AV era.
  • Yves Provencher of PIT Group, in a session of goods movement, described platooning trials in the US and Europe and the work being done by Daimler, Peterbilt and others to develop autonomous trucks. One concept that Yves described is a motorized trailer that could join up with other, similar trailers to form a convoy.

Although Canada has, unfortunately, been lagging behind the U.S. in its preparations for automated vehicles, the overall conclusion from the large number of attendees and the level of interest is that the momentum is building at many different levels.

Linked to this, Canada’s new federal government is developing a new, larger innovation agenda that will be announced in the fall, and the recent budget includes funds for Transport Canada to develop a federal regulatory framework for AVs. It is clear that Canada will be far more pro-active in the AV space in the months and years ahead.

Image by ARUP.

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Daimler Gets Moovel-ing on Mobility As A Service

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Burney Simpson

Daimler launched a Mobility as a Service (MAAS) firm in North America called moovel, with promises to offer a choice of transportation options at the push of a smartphone app button.

Moovel is designed to link riders with providers of public transportation, car-sharing, ridesharing, bike sharing, and other forms of transportation.  

Moovel was launched as a pay-as-you-go service, with consumers having the ability to use their smartphone as a payment device for trips.

The concept of MAAS is evolving. In general it refers to a subscription-based, phone app-accessible mix of transportation options for users. The mix can include public transit, privately-held firms like Uber and Lyft, bike share programs, traditional taxi firms, and car-share firms like car2go.

Major auto OEMs are investing in MAAS-style services following the growth of non-traditional transportation offerings, especially among younger consumers.

Daimler operates car2go in about 30 cities in Europe and North America. Rival BMW announced this month it had begun operating its ReachNow car-sharing service in Seattle, and would possibly expand it to nine more cities (See “Siren of Mobility Entices BMW, Jaguar, Peugeot”).

MOBILE TICKETS AND PAYMENTS

Daimler said its launch of moovel is in response to the growth of urban populations worldwide, and to the rise in rides on public transportation. In 2014 there were nearly 11 billion public transportation rides, the highest ever, says Daimler.

For riders, moovel will offer mobile ticketing and payments for public transit agencies. For transit agencies, moovel helps them integrate with ”last mile/first mile options like bike share and on-demand car services,” according to Daimler.

The creation of moovel comes from Daimler’s 2014 purchase of transportation app provider RideScout. Last June, RideScout bought GlobeSherpa, a mobile book and ticketing service for public transit.

Moovel inherits from its two parents a number of agreements with public transit agencies in major metropolitan areas.

For example, in the Chicago area moovel has a relationships with the Chicago Transit Authority, the suburban PACE bus service and the metro-wide Metra train service.

In California, moovel has deals with the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System and the North County Transit District.

Plans call for moovel to eventually offer Ridetap, a software development kit or SDK, that app developers can build on to assist users get to their final destination.

RideTap is currently operating only in a private beta mode in Portland, Ore. A program there allows users to request a Lyft ride, or reserve a car2go. Moovel says RideTap will be launched more widely later this year.

In Germany the moovel app offers access to car2go, the car-sharing firm Flinkster, the taxi booking and payments app mytaxi, the German railway company Deutsche Bahn, and public transportation, says Daimler.

Nat Parker, co-founder and former CEO of GlobeSherpa, is now CEO of moovel NA. Joseph Kopser, co-founder and former CEO of RideScout, is now president of moovel Group GmbH.

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Truck Platooning Barreling Ahead

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Editor’s note: This is another in Driverless Transportation’s series of Q&As with leaders in the automated, autonomous and connected vehicle industry.

RBishopWhen it comes to connected and automated vehicles, Richard Bishop’s job is to, as he puts it, “know what’s going on, who’s doing it, and identify significant and emerging trends.” He specializes in the domain of intelligent, connected, and automated vehicles and how these interact with the roadway and transportation system, plus larger societal forces. He provides global trends analysis and research strategy development to a wide range of vehicle manufacturers, technology developers, and government agencies around the world.

He currently supports USDOT’s involvement in the Tri-Lateral Working Group on Road Vehicle Automation and also serves as chair of the American Trucking Association’s Task Force on Automated Driving and Platooning. Prior to establishing Bishop Consulting in 1997, Mr. Bishop was program manager for Vehicle-Highway Automation at the USDOT Federal Highway Administration.

You are in the thick of tests and research being conducted on truck platooning. Could you give us an overview of this?

Live tests have occurred in Texas and Nevada because they have favorable regulatory environments for truck platooning. Many other states do as well, and regulations are being adjusted in several other states as we speak. Florida just enacted new legislation calling for a truck platooning study and pilot test.

Testing has occurred in Germany with three truck platoons and Level 3 automation. In early April, several truck platoons converged on Rotterdam as part of the EU Platooning Challenge, meant to galvanize national regulators into clearing the way for platooning to gain efficiency and sustainability benefits. I expect the USA will see commercial availability of platooning as soon as next year.

Is Europe ahead of the US in platooning?

Europe is coming from a different angle. It can’t be said they’re ahead or behind. Europe-based OEMs are very advanced in platooning and they serve global markets. Regulators are coming along in terms of adjusting road rules from a prior era. I’d say the regulatory environment in the U.S. is better at this point, and the market need in the U.S. is stronger given the extremely long hauls. The EU Platooning Challenge has gained the attention of regulators in the U.S. as well. All these activities mutually support each other.

You are the chairman of the Automated Driving and Platooning Task Force of the American Trucking Associations (ATA). What are its major goals?

The objectives of the Task Force are pasted below this Q&A. The group has developed initial documents to educate users and guide technology developers, with emphasis on truck platooning since it is near-term. Visit here for more detail: TMC IR 2015-2, Automated Driving & Platooning: Issues & Opportunities; and here for a pdf on recommendations going forward: TMC Future Truck Position Paper 2015-03: Recommendations Regarding Automated Driving and Platooning Systems.

To my knowledge these are the only documents published to date that provide the “voice of the user” in truck automation. We see these as living documents which will be updated. Our current focus is to develop “Guiding Principles” for truck automation, which will be a concise set of statements as to key points.

You have also taken part in Auburn University’s test looking at the commercial feasibility of platooning. What did the school find?

The Federal Highway Administration, under its Exploratory Advanced Research program, funded this project to prototype, evaluate, and test Driver Assistive Truck Platooning (DATP), due to its potential to have significant positive safety and fuel savings benefits for heavy truck operations in long haul freight movement. The project is led by Auburn; other partners are Peloton Technology, Peterbilt Trucks, Meritor WABCO, and the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), a research organization within the American Trucking Associations Federation.

“I expect the USA will see commercial availability of platooning as soon as next year.”

We have addressed traffic impacts, platoon formation, and conducted formal fuel economy testing. Stakeholder outreach has played a vital role, working with the ATA Technology and Maintenance Council Task Force on Automated Driving and Platooning. Visit this link to see the results of Phase I of the Auburn work.

Phase II will be completed this year.

There’s been some pushback on platooning. First, some truck drivers are concerned its adoption will mean fewer drivers are needed. What do you think?

There is a misconception that platooning leaves no role for the driver. This is completely wrong. First generation platooning, in terms of driver role, is the same as current Adaptive Cruise Control — brakes/throttle are automated, and the driver steers. I recently wrote a letter to the editor of Transport Topics that explains this in detail.

mercedesplatoon2Second, some consumers are wary that big rigs will bunch up, block entrance/exit lanes, and take over the roads. Are those fears legitimate?

No. Initial platooning systems will be two or three trucks. I don’t see two-truck platooning impeding anything and probably won’t even be noticed by car drivers. Three trucks might create a problem, but I see two-truck platoons being deployed first and we’ll learn from that. Remember, we are talking gaps between vehicles of 50-100 feet. This is close but not head-turning close.

Further, the gaps are dynamic and will adjust based on conditions. This could include opening up the gaps in urban areas where there are frequent entry/exits. The prime application scenario for platooning is long runs with few interchanges. In the early years we may see trucks de-couple completely when entering dense urban freeway areas and re-coupling when leaving.

Do you think driverless applications will become adopted in the commercial sector before the consumer sector?

No, it’s already happening in the consumer sector, via Tesla, the Mercedes E Class, etc. Plus, the “robo-taxi” scene is heating up fast; this is where true “driverless” will occur. The market forces are different for trucks but the applications coming on cars will eventually appear on trucks.

You are helping to plan the AUVSI/TRB Automated Vehicles Symposium in San Francisco this year. Why should someone attend the conference?

The Automated Vehicles Symposium is the largest and most significant conference worldwide focused specifically on automated vehicles. AVS uniquely brings together government, industry, and academia in a setting which includes both plenary presentations and break-out sessions, so that the larger AV community can meet and hear from one another. We are expecting over 1000 attendees this year.

Could you talk a little about the Workshop on Automated Vehicles Policy and Regulations: A State Perspective (ADD LINK) at the University of Maryland in May. Why?  

Addressing AV policy and regulation is key to the deployment of AV’s, whether it be passenger cars, trucks, and/or robo-taxi’s. I’m very involved in all three areas and am happy to offer my perspective and share knowledge, joining my colleagues in advancing the dialogue in these domains. The issues in some cases are quite different for each of these areas.

Thanks Richard.

Objectives of the ATA’s Automated Driving and Platooning Task Force

The Automated Driving and Platooning Task Force is within the Future Truck Program of the American Truck Association’s Technology and Maintenance Council. The objectives of this task force are:

  1. create  awareness within TMC of all relevant activities to develop partially automated and fully automated driving systems for heavy trucks, including industry and publicly sponsored R&D, as well as relevant regulatory activity at the state and Federal levels
  2. create an operational understanding of how partially and fully automated driving would be applied to heavy truck operations, considering drivers, maintenance, safety managers, fleet managers, regulators
  3. define key terms relevant to automated driving so as to create mutual understanding and avoid confusion
  4. identify the opportunities, new applications, key requirements, and areas of concern in the evolution of automated driving technologies.  Identify technology demonstrations the carriers would like to
  5. develop a white paper, to include recommended actions that might be taken by industry and regulators
  6. liaise as needed to other TMC task forces, such as the S.12 DSRC Task Force
  7. develop technical policy guidance for the Technical Advisory Group, ATA Engineering department and ATA Technology and Engineering Policy committee.

 

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State Driverless Policy Workshop This May

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Burney Simpson

A one-day workshop on state policy towards automated vehicles will be held May 18 at the University of Maryland in College Park near Washington, D.C.

The workshop will identify the major issues the states will need to address as they write laws on “advanced automated vehicles (sometimes called autonomous, self-driving, or driverless vehicles).”

The National Transportation Center is sponsoring “Automated Vehicle Policy and Regulation: A State Perspective Workshop” at the school. The event runs from 8:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The other sponsors are the Center for Advanced Transportation Technology, the I-95 Corridor Coalition, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

The graphic for this article is from the National Conference of State Legislators website that tracks autonomous/self-driving vehicles legislation. It is updated as of April 8. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is scheduled to release policy guidelines for the states this summer.

FRAMING THE ISSUES

The Maryland workshop features a number of nationally-known experts on driverless vehicles.

Bryant Walker Smith, developer of the Center for Internet and Society website that tracks state legislative activity on driverless technology, will be on the opening panel framing the issues. Smith will be joined by Robert Peterson, co-author of A Look at the Legal Framework for Driverless Vehicles (See “Send Lawyers, Guns and Driverless Vehicles”), and Frank Douma, who will discuss Minnesota’s initiative on mobility and people with disabilities.

A second panel with look at major policy influences. Mike Scrudato, senior vice president with Munich Reinsurance, will discuss insurance, while Rand Corp.’s James M. Anderson will consider a single federal policy vs. a 50 state approach.

A third panel offers state legislators active in autonomous vehicle legislation. State Sen. Mark Green of Tennessee (See “Tennessee Senate Scheduled to Vote on Proposed Driverless Law SB 1561 This Week”), and Del. Glenn Davis of Virginia will discuss their recent proposals (See “Careful Steps on Driverless Laws for Tennessee, Virginia”).

There will also be discussion on the opportunities for merging energy and transportation issues. The seminar will conclude with remarks from Alain Kornhauser, director of Princeton University’s Transportation Research Program.

The event is in the Howard Frank Auditorium/Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland.

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England Launches $212 Million Driverless Strategy

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Smart Highways

An innovation strategy that sets out how $212 million (£150 million) will be spent on harnessing new technology – including trials of driverless cars and wirelessly connected vehicles – has been published by Highways England.

The strategy will see trials of driverless car technology on motorways and Wi-Fi to improve the information available to drivers as well as more charging points for electric cars.

The Innovation Strategy sets out for the first time Highway’s England’s wide-ranging plan to ensure it is keeping pace with advances in technology, bringing benefits to road users up and down the country as well as unlocking economic growth.

Government-owned Highways England is a company responsible for England’s 4,300 mile strategic road network, encompassing one-third of all traffic by mileage, and two-thirds of all heavy-goods mileage.

A connected corridor or ‘Wi-Fi road’ could see cars and infrastructure wirelessly connected, with drivers receiving news of advanced road closures or congestion warnings. The strategy also includes trialing radar technology on motorways and in tunnels to improve the way breakdowns are detected.

2017 DEADLINE

The strategy builds on the announcement by Chancellor George Osborne in the March 2016 Budget that driverless cars will be tested on motorways by the end of 2017.

Roads Minister Andrew Jones said: “Innovation is absolutely critical to our $21.2 billion (£15 billion) investment plan for roads.”

Highways England Chief Executive Jim O’Sullivan added: “We’re committed to using innovation to benefit the millions of journeys made on England’s strategic road network today and in the future. We will work with our partners in the supply chain, technology specialists and the automotive industry to trial new technologies that will help make journeys on our roads safer, more reliable and better informed.

“This will involve supporting trials of better connected and autonomous vehicles on our motorways by the end of next year, testing radar technology to better detect breakdowns, and trialing fuel price signs on the M5 between Bristol and Exeter.”

The strategy confirms research and development of areas. Highways England will:

  • Trial radar technology on motorways and acoustic technology at the Hindhead Tunnel in Surrey to improve breakdown detection. The technology would continually monitor traffic and notify control centers within seconds of a stationary vehicle.
  • Join a trial that would see information sent wirelessly to specially adapted vehicles on the A2/M2 between London and Kent. The on-road technology would wirelessly transmit the latest journey information directly to vehicles which, depending on the circumstances, could suggest changing lanes or taking an alternative route.
  • Ensure that trials are being undertaken for autonomous vehicles on motorways by the end of next year, to start to collect real world data on performance and potential impacts on capacity and operations.
  • Look at improving the signaling of junctions on motorways to increase traffic flows. This would involve adapting timing of the signals at junctions depending on the time of day and use.
  • Investigate the use of sensors that could provide better information about the condition of roads, bridges and tunnels on the network. In the future this could allow for more targeted maintenance programs and save money over the lifetime of the road surface or structure.
  • Exploring the creation of a Test and Innovation Centre to pioneer new research.
  • Develop the use of ‘expressways’ on A-roads to encourage more free-flowing traffic by having modernized junctions, provide emergency refuge and maintenance areas and use advanced technology to provide journey information.

This article is from Smart Highways, the only magazine about Intelligent Transport Systems aimed solely at the U.K. market. It also publishes Seven Days, a weekly email.

BHills1

Beverly Hills Plans Driverless Shuttle

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Burney Simpson

Beverly Hills is seeking to operate autonomous shuttle vehicles as part of its public transportation system. The City Council unanimously approved the project recently.

The autonomous shuttles would provide on-demand, point-to-point transportation within the city. Users would request a ride with a smartphone app.Mayor John Mirisch proposed the idea last June in a column for the Los Angeles Business Journal.

Mirisch said the shuttles could reduce congestion and the demand for parking, while increasing mobility and road safety within the city’s 5.7 square miles.

Mirisch believes the shuttle could solve the ‘first mile/last mile’ challenge for riders who will be taking the Purple Line of the Los Angeles Metro subway. Plans call for two Purple Line stops in Beverly Hills, though those may not open until 2026.

Mirisch tells Driverless Transportation that the Beverly Hills shuttle plan is now at the conceptual stage.

“We want to set out a vision, look at the technology, and determine how far away we are from that,” Mirisch said. “We will also look at the legal environment, and determine how we can get to our goal.”

Under phase one of the city’s plan, Beverly Hills will develop partnerships with autonomous vehicle manufacturers. It will also be working with regulators and policy makers to create an outline of the project.

Beverly Hill’s shuttle concept comes shortly after a proposed $121 billion, 40-year transportation plan from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The county is projected to grow by 2.4 million people by 2057.

But the Authority’s plan doesn’t include driverless vehicles, Mirisch said.

“Autonomous vehicles can transform and revolutionize transportation. When you are considering spending that much money, let’s look at this disruptive technology, and find if it can it grow mobility, convenience, safety, and so on,” said Mirisch.

“(The Authority) plans to use yesterday’s transportation – heavy rail, buses. If we want to build for the next 100 years, we should look at the technology of the next 100 years.”

The first driverless shuttle in the U.S. is scheduled to start operating this summer at the Bishop Ranch business park in San Ramon, Calif. (See “Driverless Shuttle Gives Momentum to GoMentum Station”). The shuttle will be operated by EasyMile, a French firm that has run a number of driverless projects in Europe.

Photo of Beverly Hills by Prayitno, 2011.