Self-Driving Cars Could Open 2 Million New Jobs for People with Disabilities
As fleet industry experts consider the benefits of autonomous vehicles, a new study to be published the week of January 16th from Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) and the Ruderman Family Foundation reveals that two million employment opportunities could be opened up, and $19 billion in annual healthcare expenditures could be saved, if individuals with disabilities had access to the basic transportation needs that could be provided by autonomous vehicles.
Despite those with disabilities representing almost 20 percent of the U.S. population, the most recent government survey indicated that six million individuals with a disability had difficulty with mobility access. Accordingly, this population faces significant obstacles that prevent them from fully participating in society.
The report—co-authored by Henry Claypool, Policy Director at the Community Living Policy Center at the University of California, San Francisco, Dr. Amitai Bin-Nun, Director of Autonomous Vehicle Initiatives at SAFE and Jeff Gerlach, Senior Policy Analyst at SAFE— contains a range of proposals, including:
- Recommending that governments do not require a licensed operator in a level 4 autonomous vehicle capable of operating without human input;
- Suggesting that local governments pilot autonomous vehicles as a mobility aid to underserved populations, including the disability community and for older Americans;
- Urging the disability community to develop a common policy and advocacy agenda for autonomous vehicle by convening a stakeholder organization;
- Encouraging technology developers to design autonomous vehicles to be as broadly accessible as possible, following the principles of universal design whenever feasible.
The full report will be published the week of January 16, 2017.
Category: Connected Fleet News, Featured
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