Urbanism Next Reports
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Browsing Urbanism Next Reports by Author "Blumenthal, Marjory S."
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Item Open Access Older Adults, New Mobility, and Automated Vehicles(University of Oregon, 2021-02) Fraade-Blanar, Laura; Larco, Nico; Best, Ryan; Swift, Tiffany; Blumenthal, Marjory S.The premise that autonomous vehicles will address older adults’ immobility is not a given. As argued in the Public Policy Institute’s publication Universal Mobility-as-a-Service, public- and private-sector actors need to come together to create a set of supportive circumstances that enable us to harness emerging technology for individual and societal benefit. This paper and associated framework lays out the myriad and interconnected factors that all stakeholders in this space should be thinking about so that the promise of autonomous vehicles and new shared-use mobility opportunities can be realized. The framework can be used as a checklist of design considerations for AV pilot testing, and it also may inform research and development programs. Moreover, it can provide an easy-to-consult reference for policymakers as they define roles and responsibilities among public- and privatesector actors whose actions can enable equitable access—or result in greater inequity. This research reveals a perennial flaw in our technology adoption process, at least in the mobility arena: the current default of designing for a broad clientele of mobile individuals is insufficient. The framework identified in this report is an important but only preliminary step to ensuring that the needs of harder-to-serve populations, such as frail older adults and people with mobility disabilities, are met. Additional, more tailored activity is needed. AARP looks forward to advancing this work.