Dr. Michael Hunter of Georgia Institute of Technology

Transportation has a long history of disruptive technologies.  Autonomous (driverless) vehicles are poised as the next great disruptive technology. Automobile manufacturers and technology companies are actively testing and deploying fully autonomous vehicles on public roads. While significant technological hurdles remain and the timeline for availability to the general public is uncertain, the ultimate arrival of this technology is likely inevitable. 

It must be expected that driverless vehicles hold the potential to remake the transportation landscape in ways both intended and unintended. Nearly every aspect of the transportation system may be influenced by this technology. Although the technical challenges of creating autonomous vehicles have been and continue to be deeply studied, the direct and indirect impacts of these vehicles remain unknown. The behavior of drivers in non-autonomous vehicles as well as the implications of these behaviors on traffic operations and flow is highly uncertain. Likewise, driverless vehicles may remake the work, housing, shopping, and entertainment decision processes that underlie current travel demands. The potential for significant new infrastructure needs and modifications as well as the possibility for unintended negative safety consequences are also unresolved. These and other uncertainties are particularly acute for the transition period (likely many decades long) as new driverless technologies are introduced into the marketplace while many vehicles remain user-driven.  In this presentation, Dr. Hunter will highlight some of the many potential transportation-related disruptions, impacts, and challenges to the widespread introduction of driverless vehicles.

Biography:

Dr. Hunter is a Professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Dr. Hunter joined the faculty of the Georgia Institute of Technology School of Civil and Environmental Engineering in the 2003. Dr. Hunter has been highly active in research, teaching, and service and has been principal investigator of sponsored research, for a variety of sponsors including local, state, federal, and industry. Dr. Hunter’s research has resulted in over 110 refereed journal and conference papers as well as over 150 other publications, posters, and presentations. Dr. Hunter has led two significant transportation research centers, the Georgia Transportation Institute (GTI, 2012 to present) and the National Center for Transportation Systems Productivity and Management (NCTSPM, 2012 to 2017). Dr. Hunter is actively researching smart cities, connected vehicles and infrastructure, and disruptive technologies within the transportations systems context.