Automated Vehicles

My Research

Driverless Futures

 

I’m not interested in what we can do with self-driving vehicles.
I’m interested in what we should do with them.

My work on Automated Vehicles focuses on how new technologies can best be used to improve cities and the quality of life for those who live in them. Using research methods from Science and Technology Studies, I identify problems that automated vehicles can be expected to encounter or create. I also discuss options to address those problems. Imagining the possibilities of a driverless future requires us to acknowledge the challenges and opportunities involved, and to make the important choices that will ensure we reach our goals.

My Areas of Research for Automated Vehicles

Scaleability

What applications work for AVs? Which purposes, locations, clients, and circumstances can they serve best?

Roadblocks

What obstacles currently exist in policy, economic, and practical constraints?

Networks Required

What networks of people and infrastructure would be required for AV systems to operate successfully?
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Unintended Consequences

How might misuse, dependence, inequality, or other problems result from AVs? How can they be avoided?

Competing Interests

Which social, commercial, and political groups have interests in AV technology, and where do those interests align or conflict?
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Choices and Alternatives

What options do we have in adopting AVs, and when might we wish to seek the same benefits in other ways?

Does my research align with your needs?

If you are interested in working with me or learning more, I would love to hear from you.

Get in touch with me

Articles on Automated Vehicles

Big Choices for a Driverless Future

Though it can often seem like technology is speeding ahead and taking us along for the ride, in many ways our choices shape these new technologies as they are developed.

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Understanding Autonomous Vehicles

There’s a lot of buzz these days about Autonomous Vehicles (AVs), also known as “driverless” or “self-driving” cars. Here’s a quick introduction on what they are, and why everyone is so excited about them.

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