PAVE Virtual Panel: Serving Ohio’s Rural Communities

During May, PAVE’s panels are focused on how autonomous vehicle technology can serve the public good. While AV deployments in urban environments get lots of attention, our next panel will examine important work in the State of Ohio on how AV technology can serve rural communities.

Funded by a U.S. Department of Transportation ADS Demonstration Grant,  DriveOhio, the state’s AV initiative, is testing AV applications for trucks and passenger vehicles in Southeast Ohio. The region is an excellent place to challenge AV technology: it has a four-season climate and a diverse landscape that includes steep terrain and winding roads. Residents in this Appalachian region face significant challenges in transportation and connectivity, including lack of public transit options, long travel distances, and limited internet access.

Our panelists will discuss the goals of the test program, how AV technology can help Southeast Ohioans overcome their transportation challenges, and how the findings could help communities nationwide.