May 18, 2021

Professor Raj Rajkumar, Director of the Mobility21 National University Transportation Center provided testimony at the US House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce hearing on “Promises and Perils: The Potential of Automobile Technologies,” alongside fellow panelists Jason Levine, Executive Director for the Center on Auto Safety and Greg Regan, President of the Transportation Trades Department of the AFL-CIO.

Congressman Mike Doyle, member the House Energy and Commerce Committee, representing CMU’s hometown of Pittsburgh, introduced Professor Rajkumar.   The Subcommittee Hearing was chaired by Congresswoman Janice D. Schakowsky (Illinois-09) along with Ranking Member Congressman Gus M. Bilirakis (Florida-12).

Professor Rajkumar’s testimony included the history of autonomous vehicles (AVs), a current assessment of AV technology and the steps necessary to maintain domestic competiveness and achieve the social and economic benefits of the AV industry.  Professor Rajkumar also addressed challenges and opportunities to navigate the perils and ensure the ability to realize the promise:

“It is imperative that we commit soon to an all-of-nation initiative to ensure AV technology does not join the list of innovations which are invented in the US but end up generating jobs and wealth only far beyond our shores.”

Read Professor Rajkumar’s full testimony here.

Watch the hearing here.