Research topic-Proposed by City of Mesa - Arizona

[maria...@gmail.com]

I saw Dr. Stefan Heck’s presentation at the MIT Club of Northern California and I am interested in what he said. I am reaching out because I have a personal interest in the Autonomous self-driving (ASD) car revolution.

What I am focusing in is the research of: what do cities need to do to increase safety for our users and allow the use of ASD within the city’s public right-of-way? I am most concern with the ability to use what we have and have it serve those with ASD and not (drivers and pedestrian and bikes and disable). I am also interested in devising ways we can ensure proper accessibility to vulnerable users and proper interaction with them.

My research has led me to conclude that for now ASD vehicles will be used mostly used by commercial/heavy vehicles and in highways. Cities can respond by implementing, like truck routes, ASD designated routes.

Then I foresee deployment of ASD in places highly mapped with low speed, such as airports or parks (Disney, etc.). Cities can respond by implementing policies and incentives for ASD use and sharing.

Then I foresee the trend of MPOs and town/city residents demanding the use of ASD technology, and the city will have to respond by drafting policies/laws/codes that incentivize sharing while maintaining safety by designating lanes for an specific ASD use. Cities do not have HOV lanes, and this may need to be a consideration for our local roads. But our residents may cross city borders for work, play, etc.……………MPOs need to provide a field so as a region we “play nice” and we need to strategize more on the proper maintenance of our infrastructure so ASD deployment is safe.

I am reaching out so that if you have a focus group or a research forum or any research that addresses what is written above, please let me know.