June 3 & 4, 2021
Raj Rajkumar, Director of the Mobility21 University Transportation Center participated in the 2-day visit from the Pennsylvania Senate Transportation Committee to Pittsburgh. Senators Wayne Langerholc, Jr. (Chairman), Tim Kearney, John Gordner and Pat Stefano joined local elected official and corporate and civic leaders for a meeting and showcase of transportation technology being developed, tested and deployed in the Pittsburgh.
The group met at Carnegie Mellon University’s facility at Mill 19 in Hazelwood Green (a transformed steel mill which is now home to AV companies) for a demonstration of electric and autonomous vehicles including buses, trucks, cars and scooters. Other companies participating in the technology showcase were Spin, Tesla and Locomation. Here Professor Rajkumar provided rides to the senators in his latest level 4 automated vehicle.
Read the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article about the committee’s visit to Mill 19: https://www.post-gazette.com/news/transportation/2021/06/03/Hazelwood-Green-autonomous-vehicle-technology-Senate-Transportation-Committee-Pittsburgh/stories/202106030198
The following day, June 4 – The Senate Transportation Committee held the public hearing at the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission on reforms and investments to advance transportation innovations in Pennsylvania. Professor Rajkumar provided testimony on the future of autonomous vehicles, and testing within the commonwealth:
“This hearing comes at an inflection point requiring prompt and decisive action. Continued advances in connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) technology will be vital to the future of Pennsylvania and the nation. CAV technologies are essential to end the scourge of vehicle crashes and to realize the full potential of smart transportation applications, accelerate the transition to electric vehicles and build the 21st century logistics system that will contribute to the competitiveness of our manufacturing base. CAVs will also provide a means of transportation and independence to differently-abled people, seniors and residents of rural and suburban areas without access to public transit. In fact, providing equitable transportation access to all is a primary goal of our Mobility21 National University Transportation Center at Carnegie Mellon University.”
Read Rajkumar’s testimony here.