MILWAUKEE — Changes in travel are on the horizon with the advancement of driverless vehicles, but there is still much to learn. A significant push for understanding these technologies is taking place at the University of Wisconsin schools in Madison and Milwaukee.
In a recent Lighthouse report, Charles Benson explored the innovative research being conducted at these institutions, highlighting why Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy views autonomous vehicles as a national priority.
Inside a parking garage at UW-Milwaukee, Assistant Professor Xiaowei (Tom) Shi expressed enthusiasm about his new project. “This grant gives us the opportunity to test autonomous vehicles in a rural area,” Shi said.
While UW has been involved in research on autonomous vehicles, this is the first grant dedicated to studying the technology in rural and tribal regions, with a total of $15 million awarded, including $1.4 million for UW-Milwaukee.
During his confirmation hearings, former Wisconsin Congressman Sean Duffy emphasized the national security implications of autonomous vehicles.
This month, TMJ4 Chief Political Reporter Benson discussed these concerns during a visit to the Transportation Operations Center at Duffy's Washington, D.C., office.
“You said this is not just a wonderful technology, but it has the potential to make our roads safer. It is also a national security issue. What did you mean by that?” Benson asked.
Duffy responded, “First off, we’ve developed the technology for autonomous vehicles. This AI technology, this computer technology, this is the story of America.”
He warned that countries like China are also trying to lead to in this competitive field. “We can't let that happen,” Duffy stated. “It has to be here, and we need good rules and regulations to make sure that it can happen here. And so that’s my job.”
Meanwhile, at UW-Milwaukee, the research team is hard at work. Dr. Shi noted that many modern vehicles are equipped with autonomous features such as GPS, LiDAR-which uses light to measure distances-and high-tech cameras serving as the vehicle’s "eyes."
“But it has a larger range compared to the human eye,” Shi explained.
The challenge lies in enabling vehicles to think and react more effectively than humans through advanced algorithms and computing. This technology is essential not just in urban settings, but also in rural America.
“Developing technology to have vehicles drive by themselves safely and efficiently, compared to human drivers,” Shi added.
The study’s focus on rural areas is crucial; although 19% of the population, including one in four people aged 65 and older, live in these regions, UWM reports that nearly half of road fatalities occur on rural roads.
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