The U.S. Access Board will begin its four-part series of virtual meetings on inclusive design of autonomous vehicles (AVs) on March 10, 2:00 – 3:30 (ET). The first session will focus on accessibility for passengers with mobility disabilities in entering and exiting vehicles.  It will feature guest speakers Dr. Victor Paquet (University at Buffalo), Amy Schoppman (National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association), and Kevin Frayne (BraunAbility) who will discuss research findings, design considerations, and available technologies. The presentations will be followed by an open forum where attendees can share comments, suggestions, and information and pose questions.

Attendees must register to attend the session. The session will include captioning and sign language interpretation.

In addition to the virtual meetings, there is also an online discussion platform that is open to the public at this time.  You are invited to share your ideas on designing AVs that are accessible to individuals with mobility disabilities. Visit https://transportationinnovation.ideascale.com/ to participate in the dialogue at your convenience.  The discussion platform will include dialogues on accessibility for passengers with sensory or cognitive disabilities at a later date.