The Minnesota Council on Disability was honored to participate in the National Conference on State Legislators.
Public Policy Director Kody Olson was a guest speaker on a panel discussing the impact of Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) related to the disability community.
The State of Minnesota has been investing in creating a vision for revolutionizing our automotive system. The Governor’s Advisory Council on Connected and Autonomous Vehicles has facilitated cross-agency and cross-sector collaboration on this issue. MCD Director Joan Wilshire serves as an ex-officio member on the Council to represent the disability community.
It is believed that Connected and Autonomous Vehicles may reduce transportation barriers for people with disabilities, the aging population, low-income communities, and other transportation challenged populations. Adoption of the CAV technology may provide Minnesotans with broader access to live, work and play in their own community, regardless of income, race, geography, disability, age or other factors that historically have contributed to transportation barriers.
MCD has created a page full of policy resources related to this topic, including testimony material and a position paper. To learn more about CAV and its impact on people with disabilities, visit Connected and Automated Vehicles.