For all of the talk of regulatory hurdles decelerating autonomous vehicle development, there are important swaths of society that are highly motivated to accelerate adoption.
Waymo is joining several of these groups into a coalition called Let’s Talk Self-Driving.
“Let’s Talk Self-Driving represents a diverse set of communities coming together with the shared belief that self-driving vehicles can save lives, improve independence, and create new mobility options for all.”
Some of the prominent organizations in the coalition include the American Automobile Association, Mother’s Against Drunk Driving, and Foundation for Blind Children.
The website amalgamates lots of information that Waymo has previously shared in other formats, targeted toward reassuring communities that autonomous vehicles are safe.
Educating community groups seems like a smart regulatory strategy. Autonomous vehicles are going to improve the lives of lots of people. That will be especially true for groups that face challenges with current transportation options.
Mobilizing those groups to advocate for change is likely to be more effective than putting engineers front and center in the regulatory spotlight.
David Silver 