Inclusive Design of Autonomous Vehicles: A Public Dialogue Goal 3: Improve access for individuals with disabilities to passenger & commercial vehicles

Right now is the time to rebuild passenger vehicles such as taxis and ride shares, Vehicles participating in these programs should all be accessible. Right now the business is so far down that changing over would be more than simple. Right now licenses/medallions are priced so low Uber or Lyft could buy all of them! So only allow accessible vehicles to replace bankrupt/foreclosed medallions/licenses

Those with disabilities should not be required to climb (3) 10" steps or if unable to navigate those steps be required to board using a wheelchair lift (most likely standing) to be lifted 3 feet in the air to board a small bus/ cutaway. Those with with a wheelchair should only board with a low profile ramp on to a safe flat floor in the front / not the back where small buses typically ride the worst. A small bus that... more »

Many blind and visually impaired persons who live in rural parts of the country are prevented from traveling. Even simple tasks like going to the grocery store or doctor's office become difficult. Therefore, as the development of AV services are expanded, services in rural areas should be emphasized. There should be more AV services in places where public transit is limited or does not exist. Additionally, alternatives... more »

Autonomous vehicles must be designed with fully accessible human machine interface (HMI). This means that the tools and functions one uses to interact with the AV are accessible for persons with disabilities. For example, if a car has a screen with instructions, the screen must both provide large print for persons who have low vision as well as have a text to speech capability for those who are totally blind. Such HMI... more »

Fully autonomous vehicles (AV) will not require passengers to interact with the steering wheel or breaks of a automobile. However, many states still believe users will need to pass a vision test to procure a drivers license. It is imperative that such state policies are preempted. Blind and visually impaired users, who in the past could not procure a license because of the vision test, should not be prohibited from using... more »

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation ("Auto Innovators") supports DOT's continued efforts to increase the accessibility of transportation. The DOT's Accessibility Strategic Plan Framework and other initiatives announced at the Breaking Down Barriers event are helpful steps towards creating an accessible transportation system.

In particular, it is helpful that the Strategic Plan Framework addresses "barriers for people... more »

We need to ensure that physical and communication access are available on all vehicles. People with disabilities need to ensure that ramp and vehicle specifications are also keeping up with the latest technology. We need to ensure that our markets are accessible to all. We need to ensure that transportation advisory council are not merely advisory but have power to advise the states and federal government about policy... more »

Disabled parents are excluded from using ridehail not only because of lack of wheelchair accessible vehicles, but because ridehailing companies like Uber, Lyft and Via to Transit do not provide carseats in their vehicles. As on-demand transit is seen as a cheaper/more efficient service and is replacing fixed route transit, this leaves out parents who can't physically be expected to carry carseats with them through the... more »

United Spinal continues to work with the public and private sectors to provide for the safe and secure travel of people who use wheelchairs. Technological advances, like the promise automated vehicles holds, can expedite research and design of universal securement systems and more crashworthiness in all types of wheelchairs. DOT can and must play a significant role in providing the needed funding to advance the research... more »

As a veteran, injured on active duty, It is still not safe for me to fly. Not covered by the ADA, air travel was supposedly ensured for the disabled by the Air Carrier Access Act signed over thirty years ago. It's not working. I've been dropped by low paid contract airline assistants, my wheelchair damaged to be unusable, and many other disabled Americans have faced similar problems. Some people have been refused flights.... more »

AFB is particularly concerned about AV accessibility. Without clear federal standards and enforcement, people who are blind or low vision are likely to be left out of the vehicles promise. On this priority, we encourage DOT to make accessibility and non-visual access a key priority in research activities and vehicle approvals. Requiring accessibility from the onset will ultimately enable equal access. In addition, DOT... more »

I'm very concerned about this problem because I used to work in HR and wasn't always challenged – I have always had a mild hearing deficit but I was able to overcome it by lipreading and using hearing aids. Now it's more profound and I also have a vision issue. I was a working person, but as time went on I found I had to use public transportation more and more because I couldn't drive at night and then during the day.... more »

We applaud DOT's commitment to accessible transportation and are excited by the investments they have already made to fund the development of accessible AV standards through a partnership with a Standards Development Organization. We look forward to engaging in this important work and hope that DOT will intentionally engage people with disabilities and disability rights organizations as the agency pursues this necessary... more »

USDOT should consider and adopt July 2019 recommendations made by the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities Transportation Task Force regarding commercial motor vehicle operation. The Transportation Task Force urged FMCSA to reconsider physical qualification restrictions regarding operation and monitoring of ADS-CMVs, and eliminate the restrictions placed on deaf and hard of hearing applicants for ADS and Non-ADS... more »

USDOT should consider adopting recommendations made by the CCD Transportation TF regarding AV 4.0, including formation of an AV Advisory Committee with an accessibility subcommittee, and any grants funding autonomous vehicle projects requiring that people with disabilities are part of the design and testing of new technologies in order to ensure the accessibility and usability of the technology from the start. NHTSA should... more »