Autonomous cars: Science, technology, and policy

An event from the Brookings Institution, the Mays Innovation Research Center at Texas A&M, and the Transportation Institute at the University of Florida

Thursday, July 25, 2019

8:45 am - 4:30 pm EDT

Brookings Institution

Falk Auditorium

1775 Massachusetts Avenue N.W.
Washington, DC
20036

Download the event agenda here.

Hardly a day passes without some news about autonomous transportation. Apple, Uber, Waymo, Tesla, Ford, GM, Toyota – it seems as if every automotive and tech company has its horse in the race to bring driverless cars to the United States. And for good reason: driver error is a major cause of automotive deaths in America. But, safety is only one potential upside to autonomous vehicles. Traffic efficiencies, environmental benefits, and the potential for shorter commute times have all been touted as benefits.

On July 25 at the Brookings Institution hosted a full-day conference on how connecting vehicles to smart infrastructure will transform the future of transportation. Panelists at “Autonomous cars: Science, technology, and policy” discussed a specific type of autonomy: infrastructure-enabled autonomous vehicles. Engineers, researchers, economists, and government officials provided a realistic outlook on the current state of driverless cars.

Engineering presentation 1: Autonomous vehicles, traffic, and humans

Engineering Presentation 2: Smart infrastructure

Panel 1: Policy issues

Panel 2: Public and private sector collaboration

Keynote Address: Derek Kan

Morning Session

Afternoon Session

Agenda

July 25
- Welcome
  
  8:45 am - 8:50 am
  
  Adam Looney Visiting Fellow - Economic Studies
- Introductions
  
  8:50 am - 9:00 am
  
  LE
  
  Lily Elefteriadou Director - UF Transportation Institute (UFTI)
  
  KR
  
  Korok Ray Director - Mays Innovation Research Center, Texas A&M University
- Opening Keynote Speaker: Kenneth M. Leonard
  
  9:00 am - 9:15 am
  
  Kenneth M. Leonard Director - USDOT Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office
- Engineering presentation 1: Autonomous vehicles, traffic, and humans
  
  9:15 am - 10:30 am
  
  Moderator
  
  LE
  
  Lily Elefteriadou Director - UF Transportation Institute (UFTI)
  
  Panelist
  
  CDC
  
  Carl D. Crane, III Director - Center for Intelligent Machines and Robotics (CIMAR), University of Florida
  
  SC
  
  Sherrilene Classen Professor and Chair - Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Florida
  
  SR
  
  Sanjay Ranka Professor - Computer and Information Science and Engineering, University of Florida
- Engineering Presentation 2: Smart Infrastructure
  
  10:45 am - 12:00 pm
  
  Moderator
  
  SG
  
  Swaminathan Gopalswamy Director - Connected Autonomous Safe Transportation Program, Texas A&M University
  
  Panelist
  
  SR
  
  Sivakumar Rathinam Associate Professor - Department of Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University
  
  SD
  
  Swaroop Darbha Technical Director - Connected Autonomous Safe Transportation Program, Texas A&M University
- Keynote Address: Derek Kan
  
  1:00 pm - 1:45 pm
  
  Derek Kan Under Secretary for Policy - U.S. Department of Transportation
- Panel 1: Policy issues
  
  1:45 pm - 3:00 pm
  
  Moderator
  
  KR
  
  Korok Ray Director - Mays Innovation Research Center, Texas A&M University
  
  Panelist
  
  RG
  
  Rick Geddes Founding Director - Cornell University Program in Infrastructure Policy
  
  Clifford Winston Nonresident Senior Fellow - Economic Studies, Center for Economic Security and Opportunity
  
  MB
  
  Marjory Blumenthal Senior Policy Researcher - The RAND Corporation
- Panel 2: Public and private sector collaboration
  
  3:15 pm - 4:30 pm
  
  Moderator
  
  Tanya Snyder Reporter - Politico @tsnyderdc
  
  Panelist
  
  TM
  
  Tom Madrecki Vice President, Supply Chain and Logistics - Grocery Manufacturers Association
  
  BF
  
  Baruch Feigenbaum Assistant Director of Transportation Policy - Reason Foundation
  
  BK
  
  Beth Kigel Vice President, HNTB, Director of Smart and Connected Solutions
  
  JC
  
  Jyot Chadha Senior Manager - NUMO Alliance at the WRI Ross Center
- Reception
  
  4:30 pm - 6:00 pm