Waymo, Autism Society of America Partner On giving riders on the spectrum Greater Accessibility

Following up on my story from last Friday on Waymo introducing teen accounts, I came across another report involving Waymo. This one sees the company working with the Autism Society of America to help people on the spectrum gain fuller independence.

The work was detailed in a story by Phillip Palmer at the ABC7 affiliate in Los Angeles.

“Waymo has partnered with the Autism Society to highlight how a driverless vehicle can actually offer a consistent, safe and predictable way to travel for young adults on the spectrum,” Palmer wrote in describing the pair’s partnership. “By working with the Autism Society of America in the very early stages of development, they can avoid any challenges that might come as the company grows.”

The allure of Waymo to autistic people is pretty much precisely what it is for the Blind and low vision: driverless cars affords those in our respective communities greater agency and autonomy with which to travel. Palmer notes only a third of people on the spectrum have driver’s licenses, according to a study by the Journal of Autism. By contrast, many autistic people do hold college degrees and hold jobs; having access to Waymo means their independence (and self-esteem) is increased. Indeed, the Autism Society’s chief marketing officer, Kristyn Roth, said to Palmer in part “having this autonomy [via Waymo] is something that builds confidence and it uplifts people.”

For its part, Waymo is committed to tackling these kinds of accessibility issues.

“What are the moments where the existing services and transportation office options are not working? Because we take those problems and we actually design product of future solutions around their specific problems, so that we’re not just assuming these are the problems that you faced,” said Orlee Smith, senior product manager at Waymo.

Waymo, and its underlying technologies, are not above reproach. They should both be scrutinized. Yet in a world where a lot of people are suspicious of artificial intelligence—and make no mistake, driverless cars are effectively AI-powered robots on wheels—the genuine good a company like Waymo can do for people pushed by the wayside under the guise of prioritizing safety and competence. The reality is, there are a lot of disabled people out there for whom conventional driving is impossible. For those folks, which includes yours truly, the advent of autonomous vehicles is nothing short of revolutionary. As the technical bits and bobs inevitably mature, the next step for mainstreaming driverless cars even further is advocating for individual ownership. That will be an even more monumental task because it entwines the law and regulation with the societal view on disability—in this case, challenging the notion Blind and low vision people can buy and “drive” their own driverless cars. Perhaps I’m overly pessimistic, but such a sea change makes climbing Mount Kilimanjaro akin to climbing a molehill.

I’m not certain such a thing will happen in my lifetime, if ever.