The U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) announced this week a new advisory committee that will focus on automation across a number of transportation modes including everything from autonomous drones, self-driving cars, trucks and buses. , and is comprised of members of government as well as figures from private industry. The committee includes members of government and professional experts from private industry. The committee will meet for the first time on January 16, 2017 where they will begin work on crucial issues around the development and deployment of autonomous vehicles, as well as determining the current and future needs of the Department as it continues with its relevant research, policy and regulations.
According to the department’s 2015 report on the future of transportation, Beyond Traffic 2045, the U.S. population is expected to grow by at least 70 million people over the next 30 years while freight volume will increase more than 40 percent.
As technology continues to advance, it's clear that automation may play a larger role in transportation. The committee is designed to handle a critical role in designing best practices, challenges and opportunities in automation, and to communicate with industry stakeholders so they can learn and adapt to best practices and feedback.
“During my time at the Department, we have fostered some of the most significant technological changes to ever take place in transportation, and we did so while keeping our focus on the safety of the American people,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx in a statement. ”This new automation committee will work to advance life-saving innovations while boosting our economy and making our transportation network more fair, reliable, and efficient.”
The New Committee Members include:
- Co-Chair: Mary Barra- General Motors, Chairman and CEO
- Co-Chair: Eric Garcetti- Mayor of Los Angeles, CA
- Vice Chair: Dr. J. Chris Gerdes- Stanford University, Professor of Engineering
- Gloria Boyland- FedEx, Corporate Vice President, Operations & Service Support
- Robin Chase- Zipcar; Buzzcar; Veniam, Co-founder of Zipcar and Veniam
- Douglas Chey- Hyperloop One, Senior Vice President of Systems Development
- Henry Claypool- Community Living Policy Center, Policy Director
- Mick Cornett- Mayor of Oklahoma City, OK
- Mary “Missy” Cummings- Duke University, Director, Humans and Autonomy Lab, Pratt School of Engineering
- Dean Garfield- Information Technology Industry Council, President and CEO
- Mary Gustanski- Delphi Automotive, Vice President of Engineering & Program Management
- Debbie Hersman- National Safety Council, President and CEO
- Rachel Holt- Uber, Regional General Manager, United States and Canada
- Lisa Jackson- Apple, Vice President of Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives
- Tim Kentley-Klay- Zoox, Co-founder and CEO
- John Krafcik- Waymo, CEO
- Gerry Murphy- Amazon, Senior Corporate Counsel, Aviation
- Robert Reich- University of California, Berkeley, Chancellor's Professor of Public Policy, Richard and Rhoda Goldman School of Public Policy
- Keller Rinaudo- Zipline International, CEO
- Chris Spear- American Trucking Association (ATA), President and CEO
- Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger- Safety Reliability Methods, Inc., Founder and CEO
- Bryant Walker Smith- University of South Carolina, Assistant Professor, School of Law and (by courtesy) School of Engineering
- Jack Weekes- State Farm Insurance, Operations Vice President, Innovation Team
- Ed Wytkind- President, Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO
- John Zimmer- Lyft, Co-founder and President
