As robotaxi services expand across U.S. cities, including San Francisco, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Austin, concerns are mounting about their interactions with emergency situations.
In Seattle, officials are taking steps to ensure that autonomous vehicles do not become hindrances during emergencies.
Armand Shahbazian, the electric and automated mobility policy advisor at the Seattle Department of Transportation, has highlighted that cities like Seattle manage up to 800 dispatches a day.
Currently, when a 911 call is made in cities hosting robotaxis, dispatchers input the emergency details and send an email to robotaxi companies, instructing them to navigate away from the incident.
However, Shahbazian noted, “From there, it’s a little bit of a black box because we’re not sure if the companies are able to integrate that information.”
This presents a potential issue, as the process of relaying emergency information to autonomous vehicles can be inefficient and unclear.
For instance, earlier this year in San Francisco, a robotaxi obstructed the path of several emergency response vehicles during a fire. A bystander recorded the incident, showing a first responder attempting to direct traffic while two fire trucks and another responder struggled to get around the stopped robotaxi.
In response to such scenarios, Seattle is collaborating with the Open Mobility Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing digital tools and data standards for public spaces.
The foundation has previously created the Mobility Data Standard, which is utilized to coordinate shared bikes and scooters across various cities.
Shahbazian explained that the city employs this system to manage over 40,000 micromobility trips daily, and it is now looking to adapt it for robotaxis.
Andrew Glass Hastings, executive director of the Open Mobility Foundation, emphasized that the aim is to directly connect 911 dispatch data with robotaxi services.
“This would enable the autonomous vehicles to be aware of emergencies in real-time, allowing them to reroute around closed streets,” said Hastings.
The current limitations in how cities communicate roadway conditions to autonomous services can cause significant problems.
Hastings noted that if successful, this system could also benefit other autonomous vehicles, including sidewalk robots and delivery pods.
Major robotaxi companies, including Waymo and Zoox, are providing guidance for Seattle’s pilot program, alongside collaborators like Google Maps and various city officials.
The broader goal is to create a solution that is not just tailored to Seattle but could effectively serve cities nationwide and potentially globally.
With many urban centers closely observing these developments, the ability to prevent robotaxis from interfering with emergency responses could be a crucial factor in their integration into city transportation networks.
As Seattle charts its course in the realm of autonomous mobility, the focus remains on developing robust systems that ensure safety and efficiency for all road users.
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