PAVE where are you

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PAVE —PARTNERSHIP FOR AUTONOMOUS  VEHICLE EDUCATION  Where  Are. You?...And what  is the industry doing. To assist?

The  PAVE Campaign  is a great idea.  In today’s. World where change is quick and facts are  usually  up  for debate and  used in ways that support many narratives.  This group  is dedicated to providing information  regarding safety, mobility, access, and other important  topics. Related to  the future  of transportation.  

That’s the mission anyway... but if. This was a political campaign  it would be in real trouble.  Day after day news stories appear  like  moles in that game. At the arcade and we hear differing. Information  about  self-driving vehicles and the companies and merging  groups getting involved.  Google. Alerts daily provide updates and speculations from media sources and  car makers.  What. Do we hear from PAVE?  CRICKETS

Now of course this is a  multi-entity non-profit, grass roots (sort of)  effort so it is under resourced and  has a giant. Mission.  Yet many. Very wealthy  entities. Such as  well Tesla, Ford, GM, Volkswagen WAYMO (Google) have a lot to gain if PAVE can execute its mission.  Oh, and news media folks like. Say. USA Today CNN. Fox News etc. could. Use the expertise on this emerging. “Super topic.”  

This. Blog is in some ways a public plea for either PAVE to become more action-oriented or for  one of the auto makers to step up and boost the educational  effort.  We can do that or listen  to hear and then complain about  claims by Tesla which by the way have not included the development. Of a fully accessible model yet (just saying).  

In the end  this is an offer to  become an educator by a blogger. Who has a personal interest and stake. In the matter.  That being said the future of transportation  is probably. Something  the world should be informed about even if ignorance is bliss.  

Anyway if there is anyone out there in PAVE. Land... please let me know.

https://pavecampaign.org/

 Here is some evidence about the need for more education https://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2019/05/29/Pittsburgh-council-amendments-self-driving-vehicle-knight-foundation-autonomous-grant/stories/201905290119

Standards standardization and self driving

 Maybe we should start some standardization and see where things stand    If you comments on some recent observation in self driving

STANDARDS AND STANDOFFS IN SELF-DRIVING

This blog asn’t been active for about a week—why?—because  most of the news in this space. Has  not really changed. For a few days.  Yesterday, however,  a couple  of developments  started  creeping. Toward. A turning point and  so  here’s a new entry.  

STANDARDS

The trend in  self-driving manugfacturing seems clear.  Rule. 1 Hate Tesla Rule  2. Figure what your strength. Is including capitalization and find out who will merge with you to make. Your  market entry. Bigger, better, and faster but not more inclusive.  Merger with other car makers in general, but don’t worry about developing  input channels from. Consumers because. If you get big enough people will have buy what you are selling anyway.  Well  this  is just fine for some, however. People with disabilities and the elderly who could really. Benefit from reformed and improved transit options  are slowly seeing the tail lights of their  new  hope disappear  in the distance without  car makers taking advantage of their knowledge even though. These  folks have been using  assistive technology. For lifetimes.  So we will end up with big. Merged companies  looking at access as an expensive afterthought again very soon.  Here is where some government and industry. Standards. Might help (just saying)  and save all taxpayers. Lots of money n the short run and of course the long run.  

There is also  a emerging trend that is sort of  getting  into the news in the self-driving. Arena: the introduction of robotic delivery.  I read where Ford. Was considering. Building a robots to operate. Their self-driving  car. To your house and then being  able to get out and come to your door to deliver things like pizza.  Okay now...I am one of the biggest. Supporters of self driving you will find,however  we have to have a standard when it comes to  uses for this stuff.    Okay,  it seems. Alright  to have C3PO. Drop by with a double stuffed crust pepperoni with extra cheese on the surface.  Yet let us think. About this. For a coupler minutes.  Do we want  engineers from  some of  our best schools. Like let’s say MIT really focusing on getting your extra valued meal to you in thirty minutes of perhaps they could be working on innovative recycling, maximizing  renewable.  Resources, and robotics that actually increase the functioning of human brings that.  May need  a new hand because as a fire fighter they burned one pulling  you out of a fire?  I actually wouldn’t. Mind seeing a few. People. During the day (if you want. I’ll send. You a list of people I’d rather not not see.)

Standardization

With the mergers in manufacturing there will come limited choices and a ushfor standardization across brands of autos.  Nota bad. Thing in somer insytancrees.  Here;where some advocates need to develop standards foraccerss and maker sure all  car makers get these standardized accessfeaturesbuiltin during the design process.  So as people with disabilities it is time we started to move. On this inside and outside government. Chanels.  For. Example. There is no reason why all new cars should not bear driveableusing a joy stick.  Thereino reason that all driver’s ed  courses. Shouldn’t include the skills to monitor. Self-driving vehicles using. This joy stick, and there is no reason that all new catrs. Should not have at least two methodsofbreakingcontrol for safety purposes.  One of these. Can be sensor driven if needed, however, there should be two.

Okay...that is enough for  today.  After all. We are just.getting cranked up again.  Count on more updates when somethingof importance  starts moving.  For now  remember the rules

1. HateTersla

Have a great week...later.

Driverless technology moves into future carrying the male accessibility still in horse and buggy days

 The United States Postal Service has announced that they will begin using self driver or driverless   technology to help deliver mail from city to city maybe not to your door just as yet this seems like the government saying we trust the future of transportation and yet… Auto makers have not really embrace the idea of making vehicles accessible for people with disabilities or senior citizens    What does that say to those of us who have disabilities it says we are about to be left in the horse and buggy days we might as well be living the pony express life without a pony


  It also says we are more concerned with moving cheap junk mail into the future thanwe are moving human cargo places where people can participate in life that is a sad statement about where we are as a society let’s work for access for people before Victoria’s Secret catalogs and Dr. feel good medicine pills   Well I think I just heard our mail carrier put some mail in the box so I better go see what it might be maybe someday it will just be a little robot or drone dropping a bundle by my door maybe someday I will be able to get into a vehicle and go to the postal station to pick up my mail —maybe someday we won’t have paper mail who knows but right now people with  disabilities are being left f in the dust  

Self driving vehicles need to collide with people who have disabilities and use assistive technology

ASSISTIVE  TECHNOLOGY —DISABILITY— AND SELF-DRIVING WHEN WORLDS SEEM TO AVOID COLLEDING AND WHY?

For decades now, rehabilitation technology, or assistive technology,  has been  used to help expand the function of people with disabilities.  From hand-held magnifiers to robotic prosthetic limbs  engineers. And consumerswith disabilities have worked together  to make  independent e  more possible.  For  a considerably shorter time. Car makers. Have  attempted  to expand the function of. Their automotive systems.  

The public has accepted and sometimes marveled (unwarranted at times) at the disability-related  technology and because it usually enhances a body function  we have labeled  “medical” devices and priced accordingly.  That means  some simple technologies are wildly overpriced for  people with disabilities.  So there is one problem assistive tech for  people with disabilities  is overpriced because it is seen as somehow out of the ordinary.  

Now  here is a second  challenge....one that has been raised  repeatedly.  Here is a group of people used to using assistive. Technology all ready to become more independent by using “self-driving” vehicles.  Yet, it does not seem as if their expertise or needs are being fully considered in the emerging.auto space.  So people  who are experts are being excluded from as challenge where their knowledge. Could be helpful.    In addition, a number of these vehicles are. Now. Reaching the point  where  modifying. Them to meet standards of access would be an after thought.  Modifications would be seen as an add-on and  likely. Not a cheap one.  Once again  this idea of “special equipment” means. People with disabilities  would pay more for something that might help everyone.  The original self-opening doors at stores. We’re  thought to be an expensive modification and now  nearly every large retail space has them for all customers.  

The final thing  to be addressed. Here is the lack of the assistive technology. Media and the autonomous. Vehicle media  talking about this on a regular. Basis.  Update after update on assistive technology never features what assistive  features are  being (or are  NOT) being built into  vehicles.  The folks reporting on the development of the vehicles are not  talking about  how accessibility is being built either.  

This lack of conversation is troubling.  Are the new  vehicles going to be a segregated  arena when  they could be. One of the most integrated  pieces of assistive technology. Ever. Produced worldwide?  

It is time these conversations start to happen.

`Hey 

We need a wider spectrum to explore the yellow brick road of self driving

https://www.engadget.com/2019/05/11/hitting-the-books-autonomous-cars-robot-take-the-wheel/

THE FUTURE OF MOBILITY/TRANSPORTATION  WILL REQUIRE  A WIDER SPECTRUM OF THINKING

This entry starts with a link about  attitudes  folks take toward their  cars and other  conceptual models of transportation.  This blog has  touched on the  ideas below before, however, sometimes  repetition is helpful and timing is important.

As  the Munchkins advise Dorothy when she asks where to start—Let’s start  at the beginning and follow the yellow brick road or just sit in the car that will follow the road for you.  

What is your car?  Is it  your mobile office?  Is it a cargo  holder for  all types of things  that don’t fit in your  house?  Is your truck  your  sporting goods storage space or  your lawn equipment  hauler?  If so that is going to influence how you view certain concepts that may  emerge in the new transportation marketplace.

You are not going to want to buy a  subscription to a ride service if you  are using your car as a home away from home  while on business trips?  You may  not want  your business partners to  see that  your prmary diet is  McDonalds McNuggets, coffee and M&Ms.  Some people have never  been in a car pool or  gone to work with  six other people no matter what the economics of that would be.  

In the self-driving world some of these notions  need to be explored more  fully so that the  design and  development  of self-driving  infrastructure can be carried  out in an effective manner.  Instead of  asking people whether they trust  self-driving cars maybe some other questions should be asked.  Like would you consider  an automated vehicle if it costs only 20 per cent of your current transportation  budget?  By only asking  “do  you trust” many pollsters  are in effect asking  the “have you stopped  beating  your wife” style of question.  They are raising the stature of “trust” as the primary factor in all transportation matters.  

Over thinnest few posts.  Some other questions that illustrate  the spectrum  of future mobility  options and  suggest when  comparisons  to today are helpful and when they  may not.

For now please give this a thought… did the family  of 9 have the same  car as the wealthy  playboy in 1965?  Did those two owners  approach transportation the same?  I’m suggesting  we widen the spectrum even further and  over the next week  we’ll be off to see the wizard  to see what answers might be out there.  

When will we be safe enough? Dash now exclamation

People TRANSPORTATION CHALLENGES FOR POLICY MAKERS-BREAKING THROUGH  THE SAFETY  BARRIER

The  lack of any real federal  policy attention  to the promise of  self-driving has created a vacuum that state policy makers  are starting to fill with unilateral sets of laws and regulatory  concepts.  unfortunately, these  efforts clearly  fall in the area of “public  safety.’  This may  please the public, but  will do next to nothing to  take advantage  of  the promise of the new technology and I urge policy makers and lawmakers  to either  abandon or radically reframe  any further efforts  based on  those concerns.

What?  Don’t worry about safety?   Well safety concerns are based on fear and  ideas of perfection.  It will be decades before self-driving  vehicles  are the majority of  vehicles on the road and  in terms of safety they have already  proven themselves in limited conditions.  In fact, one of the main complaints about these  cars is that other drivers acuse them  of driving  too cautiously.  

Hey 

Well that’s only one reason why  I would like to see  safety dropped as the primary topic of the legislative  perspectives  I believe that  you as decision makers are avoiding  some of the questions  that need to be answered and some of the most promising  aspects of the future of mobility and giving up a chance  to make real social change.

Clearly it is possible  to configure  this  new vehicles in  many new  ways and some of these  could make these  vehicles far easier for people with disabilities  to  ride in and drive.  Yet to date  no regulations or legislation  has suggested production quotas  making  it  necessary to produce  accessible vehicles.  If we get to aelf driving  status (which  we will) what aregoing to be the standards by which a blind person can  be an independent  rider/operator of one of these vehicles?  What are  going to the strength tolerances (like  how many pounds of pressure it will take to enter and exit a vehicle so that people with fibromyalgia  can take advantage of these  options?  We have codes regarding how many parking spots  need to be available.  Why  not  have numbers of how  many wheelchair accessible  vehicles  need to be produced.  One of therein  barriers  for chair users  now is  cost because  either to buy a new  van and have it converted or a used van with access built in is extraordinarily expensive and that is combined with the fact that people with disabilities  are often  unemployed or chronically underemployed?  Policies  alone on production could  provide a better  marketplace.  A recent study (just  look it up on google) already talks about the  robust expansion  in assistive tech  market for people with disabilities and seniors—why can’t the laws make it  consistantandadd the car makers and transportation providers to this  trend?  

I suspect I could  applaud the lawmakers for  keeping people who can’t drive today saft and off the roads.  After all we are safe sitting  watching TV in our living rooms and from our  chairs, and from our beds in nursing homes.  Oh so what if we live with higher rates of depression and chronic pain?  So what  if  it goes for seniors too?  

After all it is very important that  wekeep everyone  safe.  Because we keepprisoners safe  from the outside world of traffic accidents too don’t we?  

Yes I am suggesting  lawmakers and even some safety experts are forgetting the freedom that  these vehicles could produce for  people who  will never have a better chance at participation in  a mobile society.  I am suggesting that now is the time to act because how often do you see people tearing  out steps  to put up ramps?  Access after the fact is plain  and simple justice delayed and often  justice denied.  

I

Playing the numbers game and no one can win

THE NUMBERS GAME — No one can WIN

Well in the past week self-driving  news has beenfull of  remarkable numbers.  Unfortunately, this  isn’t vegas baby! and no one will win if we keep framing  our information in ways specific  companies choose.  

Let’s take Tesla—well you can’t exactly take Tesla unless you have a lot of cash—however by making  statements that fit on a calendar is an attempt  say “we’re way aheadinthis game trust us.”  WAYMO puts the 1,000th passenger on their  vehicle and they make a claim about  its functionality. GM talks about the BILLION with B  ehey are committing electronic and accessibility  friendly  vehicles and hw much money  they have raised to  pursue  their  aims.  So  theres three different companies who are defining the self - driving  into three different categories, and lo and behold each of the companies looks  pretty good when viewed  through the lenses  provided from that automaker.  

So folks in marketing  know this numbers game all to well.  If you aren’t the leader in your category—make  up a new category.  

Well here’s my opinion—these categories  ignore  three basic questions and I want the answers(and I believe others do too.)

How  much time has  the industry spent evaluating  gaps in transportation availability, accessibility, and affordability?   Beyond this, I wor,nder how much attention is being given to  rural transportation demands and consequences of inadequate transportation options? When might hold the answers to such questions?  The seniors and people with disabilities  might beard spot start learning about the answers to these questions.  Also, is government  responsible  for using this  new  mode of transportation  effectively and efficiently  to provide services  to anyone with a mobility impairment.  We  will be  changing roads and traffic patterns based on the vehicles so I think the government  already  needs to be playing an important  role.

Finally when  are magazines like the AARP  bulletin going to start asking these sorts of things  to the car makers instead allowing them to  run the numbers racket?  

People with disabilities already  get defined in public in enough ways will the availability or ability  to use one of these vehicles become just one more  line of definition and division?  

When  are journalists  going to  uncover  that each car  maker is  redefining what to count and  how to count it so that one  or another of these  companies  can be declared a winner.  If  we don’t increase public accountability and inclusion we are going to end up in a place where the companies  get declared the winners and the  people who could  benefit from all this new technology are  going to be left behind again.  

In short we need to get away from the  numbers  games  being run by each of these companies and  turn to the  solutions games where  each company is given a variety of  social  challenges to solve and standards  by which they are  solved determined by the people  who need them solved.  Is this the role of the media and government?  Yes… and advocates too.  Oh yes and  any manufacturer  who claims to to be  creating  an evolutionary new  transportation  product… We are all responsible —but the rotating numbers game will not produces the winners  we  may need so let’s  quit spinning the wheels of publicity and  start spinning the  real wheels of social change.

Hey Microsoft here’s a challenge for you https://venturebeat.com/2019/05/06/how-microsoft-is-using-ai-to-improve-accessibility/ MICROSOFT MAKES LEAPS FORWARD IN ACCESS—BUT CAN THEY “DRIVE” THE VEHICLE MARKET IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION? Right at the top of this entry there is a link and if you press on it you will find that Microsoft has made some huge efforts to make their products and services more accessible in recent years. They have incorporated the real world experiences of their users into many of their new products and now….much like their competitor Apple, they are becoming intuitively accessible. First…nicely done Microsoft. Now I am asking if not pleading that you try to take a bite out of the self-driving market tby engineering the accessibility features that could make nearly all vehicles usable by most people with most disabilities. In an earlier blog and in a public presentation or two I have spoken loudly about the utility of the “accessible controller” that makes gaming possible. Wouldn’t it be great if a similar device could be incorporated into cars, trucks, vans, etc to make them accessible? Come on Microsoft you have the money and the right attitude—-as the ghost busters would say….”cross the streams” Please use your tech knowledge to infuse access into the future of driving.

The Kentucky Derby can we trust the finish and what about other horse races

IS KENTUCKY DERBY  RESULT FAIR?  (OR BEATING  A LIVE  HORSE

Well anyone who has  seen the countless replays of the Kentucky Derby probably  has enough  information to form their  own opinion about  the outcome.  Personally I think all these  horses are pretty  much magnificent  animals that can run fast as hell and they are all winners in their own right just to have made it this far.

Do I wish  I had placed a hundred dollar  bet on the winner… well yes (full disclosure).’

However, this isn’t a blog about horse races—-or is it  Day  after day  the news in self-driving gets a little more  competitive  and companies are  touting  how they have a better or best component  that can do one thing or another.  Yet something is still missing and while I guess some horse has to bring up the rear….wellI don’t think it should be the same horse that has been stuck in the shoot  for years—-accessible affordable  transportation for people  with  disabilities .

GM is spending 300 million on electronic and self-driving  cars, toyota jus claimed they  are dumping an additional 100 million into this venture, WAYMO is building a facility in Detroit…and all these good things are  getting splashed  all over the automotive  news.  

and bringing up the rear?  Well we  are not seeing how  these vehicles will be designed to  provide equal access to all possible drivers.  We are not seeing  much movement to get  pople with disabilities involved in the design and building  phases of these efforts.  GM and WAYMO  are bringing  jobs to this industry, but have we seen  any commitment  to an inclusive work force—not in the headlines.  Here’s  a perfect opportunity for  these companies to have  experts on barriers  added to their staffs and yet it seems no movement is being made in that direction.  

What dow see?  Well we see some organizations provide great information about how accessible transportation would be  both socially and economically  advantageous , and yet no perceivable  motion in that direction.  

Right  now  people with disabilities and the senior crowd  are just being left in the dust again.

If you are a reporter- when are you going to begin asking the inclusion questions?

If you are a policy maker when are you going to  read the facts and know access  is a productive and possible  goal?

If you are an advocate when are  you going to hop aboard the car train?

Well there’s the bell —-the race in on lot’s if we can make equality a horse race this time because  some of us are  tired of being left behind cleaning out the stalls

Hey really

Hey I have a question

HEY #self-driving, #AI FOLKS— Here’s a question?

Well… I do have a question….but  let’s  be a little patient shall we?    All sensors  don’t see all things  right?   Do you think  all drivers see all things in the same way?  That’s not my question—On an average day how many people do most  drivers see wearing yellow?  That’s not my question either.  Crewe going to continue to see state after state roll out their own  laws and regulations?  That’s not my question either.   I could  go on and on with my “non-questions for today…and I  would  like (and so would most of America)  answers to  these questions.  However, my question is this?

Do cars usually  operate on streets and  if so where do pedestrians and bicycle riders  usually  operate?   Why  are  we thinking cars have to be responsible  for  the folks who  don’t  usually use the street.  If I played guitar I wouldn’t expect my drummer to  grab my  Fender and  pull off  the opening riff to Free Bird.  

Okay  let’s get right down  to it.  Why can’t pedestrians  wear  a sensor that a car is sure to pick up?  Walkers don’t usually  just wander  around in streets all day.  Why can’t a bicycle or a bicycle  helmet  have a sensor built in?  Privacy?  That’s nonsense that same cyclist is pretty likely got be carrying a  cell phone that can identify  right where they are.  

Where  is it written that  when a new product  comes on the market everyone  is dismissed  from  personal responsibility?  Personally, I am  a little offended that you are disregarding my capacity  to take care of myself in a responsible manner especially if  the car makers  allow me to communicate with their  vehicles in a way that  increases safety.  

Just  give me the  green light so to speak and I will start the ball  rolling on all  types of clothes, jewelry, shoes,  wrist bands,  and hats that  let  your cars know  where I am.  Safety is a two way street (of course unless it only a one way street for car travel).  

I havesensorsin my headphones,TV refrigerator, stove, heaters,airconditioner,onsome of the lightsinmy house….what’s a couple more if they are going to help me be a responsible  participant in a mobile  society?  Oh  and let’s  take this one step further.  Let’s say I  am  a bit lost and  want my  family truckster  to be able to find me…why  can’t I have a beacon for a particular vehicle as well a specific  match?  

Let’s  quit limitingh  our solutions to the vehicles themselves and let’s get out of the  traditional
“vision”  box.  People who ride bikes a lot or walk a lot can handle this… stop being fearful and  start  using tests based  upon curiosity  and solutions that people outside  your lab might have.

Well it’s nice day I think I’ll go for a walk… I might even wear yellow… YOLO

Same old story new question where can I sit?

where  CAN I SIT?   

the #detroit free press press provided  another stellar example about  the fractured  way  the auto industry is going about design and testing  of  autonomous, and/or #self-driving vehicles.  Names and players won’t be mentioned here because this type of article is neither novel or unique to that publication.  Here’s the formula.

A car builder or  testing facility (almost anyone  involved  in the process)  takes  a limited group of people out for  a demonstration ride.  The reporter  talks with the leadership and some of the riders and  things seem  to be progressing  and no firm answers are given as to when  all this  will be available (except for Tesla who knows when  everything is going  to happen).  

I imagine all these players in the game  watching each other’s  progress and trying to  determine when the consumer viability  tipping point will come.  You  know that point where enough people will  buy  the first ones of these and the fear  will go away (which it will),    

Yet….. none of these reporters  or riders, or engineers, or praisers orcriticsseeem to be people with  disabilities or seniors—you know people  who don’t  have adequate access to transportation now.  

There seems to be a  lot of tables where these folks (I’m one of them could be sitting.  We could be at the design  table.  We could be at the development and testing  table>  We  could be at the  regulation and safety table.  We could be at the financing table (someone issuing to have to get money to buy these cars). 

Well my point is this.  None of the press  has been asking “where can people with disabilitiies sit?  What  table would be the best  ones for inclusive  thinking and access to be discussed?  It appears we are  all too focused on the  function  of the individual cars and not the function of the industry.  What is this function?   Well if  we are going to  have  productive participants in our society and capitalize on the expertise of people who use technology  every single day.  Who uses a lot of technology  to solve every day  problems?  Oh yeah, people with disabilities.  Most of us have grown  up  using assistive tech and stretching  it to its  limits not for a few years but for  lifetimes.  

If there  are any groups in this country who are acutely aware of  functional  barriers and solutions it is the elderly and  the people with disabilities.  Most of the people  who are at the table now have created the vehicles we have now and  are limited to thinking  with all their body parts so to speak.  so the tendency will be to seek the solutions in the same places they  have always come from.  That’s called being a human being.  The argument here is that  the solutions are in other places and the people with them  are not being invited to the table.  

Many of us are ready to  make transportation in this country and around the world  inclusive, safe, efficient, and I dar say it fun…so get  us at  your tables now.   Let us share  our expertise.  If you don’t  µaybe your  lawyers and engineers  can fix  things later when you have built inaccessible  vehicles and systems again…. but  that seems  sort of a waste of  time and money.  So find us some seats  now and avoid all this for both of us.  

Sometimes the easiest way is  the best way and this  is one of those times.