Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx talks high-tech cars and infrastructure as a vehicle for equality At the beginning of the Obama administration, it would have seemed fantastical to think the Department of Transportation (DOT), an agency popularly known for highways, would be navigating the tricky world of robot driving regulations or trying to invest in the future of urban technology. But with the rapidly evolving worlds of smart city technology and automated vehicles poised to reshape the urban landscape, the DOT has made it a point to help guide the conversation about how we make these technologies benefit everyone.
A big part of that effort to help realize a more efficient and evolved transportation system is due to the leadership of DOT Secretary Anthony Foxx. Since being confirmed in 2013, Foxx has kickstarted progressive programs and embraced shifting technology, in addition to helping get the FAST Act, the first long-term transport bill in a decade, passed. The Smart City Challenge provided seed money for American cities to test and develop next-generation safety and transportation systems, and while Columbus, Ohio, ultimately won, numerous cities have used the momentum created by the contest to develop smart sensors and advanced transportation networks. The Build America Bureau will streamline the process of creating public-private partnerships for new infrastructure investments. A proposed policy for automated vehicles will help shape and ...