FHWA meeting on automated vehicles focuses on transportation policy and planning

Philadelphia — The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) held the second in its series of national dialogue meetings with key stakeholders to discuss automated vehicles and the implications of this emerging technology for U.S. roads.

“As automated vehicle technology advances and is deployed, transportation policy and planning will be critical,” said Acting Federal Highway Administrator Brandye L. Hendrickson. “We’ll have to adapt and refine our approaches to ensure we fully address the needs of the public, including the traveling public, businesses and freight operators.”

The national dialogue meetings are being held across the country to engage a diverse group of stakeholders from industry and the public sector to understand the key areas of interest and concern. The discussions in the Philadelphia meeting centered on developing approaches to safely and efficiently integrate automation on the roadway network.  As these technologies continue to develop, public agencies and the broader planning community will need to develop a clear understanding of this cutting-edge technology and its possible implications for projects, programs and policies.

Participants include industry leaders and other stakeholders who are involved in the planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of U.S. roads as well as inviting automotive makers and technology providers.

“Collaboration and engagement will be key to preparing for an infrastructure of the future,” Hendrickson said, “which is why these dialogues are so important.”

FHWA is hosting several of these meetings nationwide throughout this year. The first, held in Detroit earlier this month, focused on the effect of automated vehicles on the country’s infrastructure systems. Others to follow will explore data and digital infrastructure, multimodal safety, infrastructure design, traffic operations and freight.

The insights received during the sessions will inform national research, policy and programs and aid in the development of a national transportation community for automation. More information is available from FHWA’s National Dialogue on Highway Automation website at https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/automationdialogue.