Self-driving or “autonomous” vehicles stand to revolutionize road transportation in the U.S. and around the world. Their cutting-edge technologies and engineering innovations have the potential to dramatically expand transit options for many people, including those with disabilities. It is important that autonomous vehicles (AVs) are designed to be inclusive of everyone.

This spring, the U.S. Access Board will host a four-part series of virtual meetings on making AVs accessible to passengers with disabilities. The Board will provide an open forum where members of the public and stakeholders can discuss considerations, challenges, and solutions in designing accessible AVs. The sessions are free and open to the public. Attendees will be able to pose questions and share comments, suggestions, and information.

The forum will be conducted through the Zoom platform with open chat and discussion features. The forum’s four sessions will be in intervals of two weeks. Each webinar discussion will be recorded and supplemented by an online crowdsourcing discussion platform (ePolicyWorks) that will be active for two weeks after each session.

Each session will focus on a different type of accessibility (e.g., mobility, communication, cognitive). A final session will review findings and recommendations, identify areas for further study, and recommended the next steps.