DREDF Brief by Ian Moura, Addressing Disability & Ableist Bias in Autonomous Vehicles: Ensuring Safety, Equity & Accessibility in Detection, Collision Algorithms & Data Collection, November 7, 2022
AVs have the potential to transform access to transportation and related infrastructure for people with disabilities. AVs and new technologies also come with significant risks of embedding and perpetuating bias and discrimination that permeate society. This brief considers bias within pedestrian detection and collision behavior algorithms, lack of disability representation in the datasets used to train and test AVs, and the need for ethics frameworks that give full recognition to disabled people’s humanity and fundamental rights. Policy measures to mitigate the identified risks are proposed.
Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities Autonomous Vehicles Principles (PDF)
Disability policy priorities developed by DREDF and 19 other national disability advocacy organizations. Updated May 2022
DREDF Fully Accessible Autonomous Vehicles Checklist (PDF)
Working Draft. Last Updated November 7, 2018
The National Council on Disability published Self-Driving Cars: Mapping Access to a Technology Revolution (PDF), developed by DREDF, in 2015.
This report explores the emerging revolution in automobile technology and the promise it holds for people with disabilities, as well as the obstacles the disability community faces to realizing that promise. The report examines the current state of the technology, current approaches to regulation, and potential technological and policy barriers to full use by people with disabilities, and provides recommendations for preventing or eliminating those barriers.
DREDF Comments on Autonomous Vehicles
- Comments Opposing CPUC Immediate Authorization for Waymo and Cruise Expanded Service, Draft Resolutions TL-19144 and TL-19145 August 10, 2023
- Virtual Capitol Hill Briefing: Autonomous Vehicle Safety and Accessibility for People with Disabilities March 7, 2023
- Comments on Proposed Decision of California PUC Commissioner Shiroma Authorizing Deployment of Autonomous Vehicle Passenger Service November 3, 2020
- Autonomous Vehicles: Promises and Challenges of Evolving Automotive Technologies February 11, 2020
- Comments Submitted in Response to the AV Inclusive Design Challenge RFI January 31, 2020
- DREDF Comments Regarding Issues Addressed in a Bicameral, Bipartisan AV Bill August 23, 2019
- Comments Concerning Preparing for the Future of Transportation: Automated Vehicles 3.0 November 30, 2018
- Comments Submitted Concerning Removing Barriers to Transit Bus Automation March 4, 2018
- Comments Submitted Concerning Research Program: Automated Transit Buses March 5, 2018
- Comments Submitted Concerning Automated Driving Systems March 5, 2018
- Comments Concerning the Public Meeting: Automated Vehicle Policy Summit March 9, 2018
- Comments Concerning Removing Regulatory Barriers for Vehicles with Automated Driving Systems March 23, 2018
Other Resources
- Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities Transportation Task Force. DREDF is an active participant of the Task Force and has served as a Co-Chair from 2018 to present. Review the current page and archives for recent and past AV-related comments.
- Autonomous Vehicle (AV) Tenets developed by a coalition of more than 55 organizations, including DREDF. The tenets serve as a guide to federal legislation and policy on the development and deployment of AVs. The Tenets are divided into four main categories: prioritizing the safety of all road users; guaranteeing accessibility for all; preserving consumer and worker rights; and, ensuring local control and sustainable transportation. Published November 2020
- Access Living, Comments on U.S. Department of Transportation Autonomous Vehicles (AV) 3.0 (PDF)
- Autonomous Vehicles: Driving Employment for People with Disabilities Information-Gathering Session Summary Report, Office of Disability Employment Policy (PDF) October 26, 2018