109. Pursuing AV Micro-Transit on a Global Scale

May Mobility’s self-driving shuttles have provided more than 300,000 autonomous rides in nine cities in the US and Japan. And CEO Edwin Olson is just getting started. He has a recipe for transforming transportation – and quality of life – worldwide: . ·        A policy of listening to people to understand the unique transit challenges they face in their communities – inaccessible public transit, for example, or a long trudge from the bus stop to the dining district. ·        A strategy to work with cities, state agencies, and private enterprises to customize autonomous vehicle (AV) services that fill mobility gaps. ·        A powerhouse partnership with Toyota capable of providing vehicles, services, and resources on a global scale. ·        A game-changing approach to AV software development, known as multi-policy decision-making. . The underlying technology is critical to ensure safety and build trust, of course, but Olson argues that success starts with a human touch and understanding each community’s unique needs. . “Autonomous cars are hard, and every city brings new challenges for us to solve,” he says. “There is nothing quite so motivating . . . as a real-world point of contact with riders and cities to determine where to focus and what to fix.” . We’d love to hear from you. Share your comments, questions and ideas for future topics and guests to [email protected]. Don’t forget to take a moment to follow SAE Tomorrow Today (and give us a review) on your preferred podcasting platform. . Follow SAE on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Follow host Grayson Brulte on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. . Sign up for the SAE SmartBrief