In this episode of the PAVECast, we interview Finch Fulton, former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy at the U.S. Department of Transportation during Trump's first presidential term. We discuss the future of autonomous vehicles under Trump's second administration, with additional conversations on infrastructure, sustainability, and workforce development.

Earlier this fall, PAVE held an Autonomous Trucking Weekend at the Texas State Fair with members Aurora, Plus, and Torc. We were also joined by Erica Kemp and Brandi Bush from the Texas Department of Transportation. Tune in to this episode of the PAVECast to hear Executive Director Tara Andringa interview Erica and Brandi on the continued growth of autonomous trucking in Texas.

According to a report by the Governor’s Highway Safety Association, over 7,300 pedestrians were killed by drivers last year – a 14% increase from pre-pandemic levels. At night, traffic fatalities increase threefold. Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) is one developing area of ADAS that may be able to help mitigate these trends. However, current systems still struggle in low-visibility conditions.

Teledyne FLIR is taking a new approach to AEB by adding thermal imaging. With NHTSA’s new FMVSS No. 127 rule set to mandate AEB and pedestrian AEB (PAEB) systems in vehicles by 2029, research firm VSI and Teledyne FLIR are exploring advanced thermal nighttime testing protocols, which they started testing at the American Center for Mobility in September.

Join us during Pedestrian Safety Month for conversation with Mike Walters of Teledyne FLIR and Phil Magney of VSI Labs. They’ll share insights from their recent testing, explore the current state of AEB, and discuss how thermal cameras could improve road safety for everyone.

As the autonomous vehicle (AV) industry advances and self-driving cars become a part of our reality, questions arise over what this will mean for jobs and the economy. A new coalition — USAVjobs.com – seeks to compile resources, job training programs, and government initiatives, to answer questions about AVs and the workforce.

Tune in for a conversation featuring experts May Mobility, Aurora, and DriveOhio, as we examine the state of workforce development in AVs. Panelists will discuss existing job creation programs, upskilling and reskilling initiatives, and future opportunities for economic growth – across skill levels, areas of expertise, and geographic locations.

Guests include Nicole DuPuis, Policy and Advocacy Lead at May Mobility; Rich Granger, Managing Director of Workforce and Economic Development at DriveOhio; and Matt Blackburn, Senior Manager of Government Relations at Aurora.

In this episode of the PAVECast, we interview Dr. Ricardo Martinez, an emergency physician and former NHTSA administrator.

Dr. Martinez details his unique journey from medicine to federal administration, highlighting the need for collaboration across sectors to address automotive safety comprehensively. He shares his perspective on initiatives like Vision Zero, and the need for a systems approach to improve road safety.

We also discuss the potential of autonomous vehicles to enhance safety and mobility, stressing the importance of public trust and multidisciplinary decision-making in advancing these technologies.

Read more from Dr. Martinez on Autmotive News: https://www.autonews.com/author/ricardo-martinez

Around the globe, regulators are working to shape legal frameworks and safety standards that guide the development of ADAS and automated driving technologies. These efforts aim to strike a balance between innovation, safety, and standardization. Intelligent Speed Assist, the use of map data and sensors to help drivers maintain legal speed limits, is one such feature at the center of these discussions.

Tune in for a conversation on the current state of ADAS and the pivotal role of regulations and safety protocols in advancing technologies like ISA. Speakers include Stephanie Leonard, Head of Government & Regulatory Affairs at TomTom; Giovanni Giancaspro, Senior Manager of Product Marketing at TomTom, and David Ward, Executive President at the Toward Zero Foundation and Global NCAP.

In this episode of PAVECast, we interview Anita Kim, Director of Government Affairs and Policy at TORC Robotics. Anita gives listeners insight into TORC's recent activities, including a road tour that engaged first responders throughout Texas. She highlights the importance of collaborating with first responders and other ways they're preparing stakeholders for the future of autonomous trucking.

Learn more about Torc at https://torc.ai/, and read more about their Texas Road Tour here.

With every new deployment of autonomous vehicles, new obstacles and learnings emerge. For those who develop the AV drivers, for operators, and for insurers, assessing and pricing the associated risk remains a challenge.

In this episode of the PAVECast, we’ll dig into this and hear from multiple perspectives: from an AV developer on ensuring transparency of risk; from an AV operator on assessing risk from multiple AV developers; from an insurer on understanding the risk of an AV deployment request. Finally, an insurtech expert will outline how they quantify AV deployment risk to ensure evidence-based and consistent assessments.

Lukas Neckermann is joined by Rebecca Marsden of OXA, Stefano Lassa of SCOR, Hans Fridberg of Holo and Alex Gerodimos of Simulytic.