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Moderator/Shark Tank: Some Risks That Could Slow AV Deployment

Date and Time: Wednesday, July 12, 2023: 1:30 PM - 5:00 PM

Richard Mudge 

President, Compass Transportation and Technology

Presentation Description

Autonomous Vehicles have the potential to generate a broad array of economic and social benefits for society. This session will discuss a series of topics that may slow the pace of AV deployment and thus may have negative implications for the likelihood of the ultimate success for the AV industry. Some of these factors are within the control of the AV industry, while others reflect public policy and international factors. The Shark Tank will include brief summaries of each topic, followed by an active debate by the "sharks" with comments from the audience. Topics include:
-- With their focus on auto-taxis and intercity trucks, have the big-name AV firms missed important market opportunities?
-- Given the lack of guidance from federal legislation, does deployment success depend on active support from states and cities?
-- What are the implications for US AV deployment if China becomes the international leader? That is, does China represent the future of AVs?
-- US public transportation policy is focused on climate change. This, in turn, generates an emphasis on energy US as a key national goal. Does this emphasis have positive or negative implications for the pace of AV deployment?

Speaker Biography

Dr. Mudge is President and founder of Compass Transportation and Technology Inc. This firm specializes in the economics, finance, and policy of transportation, with an emphasis on transportation technology, autonomous vehicles, and shared mobility. Dr, Mudge holds a Ph.D. in Regional Economics from the University of Pennsylvania and an undergraduate degree from Columbia College.

Dr. Mudge is a nationally recognized expert in the economics and finance of all modes of transportation. He has held a series of management positions as a transportation consultant. These include co-founder, President, and Chairman of the Board for Apogee Research. He also directed the transportation policy group for the Congressional Budget Office and worked in applied research at the RAND Corporation.

Dr. Mudge is a member of the organizing panel for the ITS World Congress in Montreal, Hamburg, and Los Angeles. He is a frequent speaker at conferences (TRB, AASHTO, ITS America, etc.) and has served as an expert witness in federal court and before Congressional Committees and as a panel member for NCHRP projects.

Much of Dr. Mudge’s experience reflects his focus on innovation including ways to help develop and apply new technologies that improve planning, traffic analysis, decision making, and project deployment. His work on innovative finance includes state infrastructure banks (SIBs) and TIFIA. His work on automated vehicles includes measure of economic value and deployment in new markets (transit buses, truck parking, and airports.

Presentation File