Introduction
The transportation industry is on the cusp of a revolutionary change with the advent of autonomous vehicles (AVs). As this technology continues to advance, it’s essential to understand its potential economic impact on the workforce. To provide valuable insights, the U.S. AV Jobs Coalition has been formed, featuring a group of businesses, nonprofits, and advocates from the autonomous vehicle ecosystem.
A New Coalition Aims to Shed Light on AVs’ Economic Impact
A group of businesses, nonprofits, and advocates from the autonomous vehicle ecosystem launched the U.S. AV Jobs Coalition. The organization aims to provide research about the economic impact of autonomous vehicles (AVs) on the U.S. economy. The coalition will share resources, statistics, and initiatives that illustrate the workforce impacts of AVs on the U.S. economy. Visitors to the website will find a compilation of research articles, existing training programs, policy recommendations, fact sheets, and other resources. Event organizers and members of the press can also find workforce experts in the coalition’s speaker’s bureau.
“Autonomous vehicles will transform transportation — making it safer, more sustainable, and more accessible. This technology will also bring changes to the transportation workforce, and has already created new career opportunities for today’s workers,” Tara Andringa, executive director of Partners for Automated Vehicle Education (PAVE), which helped to launch the coalition, said. “We are building a robust directory of information on AVs and the workforce to help others better understand what this technology could mean for workers and the economy. That’s what this effort is all about.”
The U.S. AV Jobs Coalition will officially launch at TRB’s Automated Road Transportation Symposium this week in San Diego at a conference session.
“This body of research makes clear that self-driving innovation is a catalyst for job creation and strong economic growth. There’s a real, achievable path for state and local governments to welcome autonomous vehicles and thereby promote investment in their communities, enhance safety, and create jobs,” Mufaddal Ezzy, senior director of Public Affairs at Aurora, said.
Policy Recommendations
The coalition says AVs present a generational opportunity to create safer roads, promote accessibility, ease supply chain challenges, and create new jobs for American workers. To take advantage of this, U.S. AV Jobs believes a policy framework needs to be put into place to support a clear pathway to AV development. The coalition provides four options for states to prepare for AV workforce opportunities:
Invite Stakeholder Input: The coalition says government agencies should establish a workforce innovation committee made up of a balanced group of government, worker, and industry representatives appointed by the state governor. This committee would serve as a partnership between government, workers, and industry to prepare workforce recommendations as the AV industry advances.
Conduct Research: It’s important to conduct and fund research projects in coordination with industry players, the coalition says. This gives the state the opportunity to do things like evaluate how many AV jobs will be created and identify ways to leverage community needs and opportunities to create jobs throughout the AV ecosystem.
Build Programs: States should create new programs, and curriculums, and enhance existing workforce programs. The coalition says it’s important to leverage existing programs and workforce opportunities in the AV industry based on research, deployment timelines, and best practices.
Invest in the Future: Finally, government agencies should establish grant programs for community colleges, universities, and other educational institutions. Implementing autonomous vehicle-related training programs ensures workers can take advantage of high-quality jobs of the future.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the U.S. AV Jobs Coalition is committed to providing valuable insights into the economic impact of autonomous vehicles on the workforce. By sharing research, statistics, and initiatives, the coalition aims to help the government, industry, and workers prepare for the future of transportation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: What is the U.S. AV Jobs Coalition?
The U.S. AV Jobs Coalition is a group of businesses, nonprofits, and advocates from the autonomous vehicle ecosystem that aims to provide research about the economic impact of autonomous vehicles (AVs) on the U.S. economy.
Question 2: What are the policy recommendations of the coalition?
The coalition provides four options for states to prepare for AV workforce opportunities: Invite Stakeholder Input, Conduct Research, Build Programs, and Invest in the Future.
Question 3: How will the coalition help the government and industry prepare for the future of transportation?
The coalition will share resources, statistics, and initiatives that illustrate the workforce impacts of AVs on the U.S. economy, providing valuable insights for policymakers and industry leaders.
Question 4: What kind of research will the coalition conduct?
The coalition will conduct and fund research projects in coordination with industry players to evaluate how many AV jobs will be created and identify ways to leverage community needs and opportunities to create jobs throughout the AV ecosystem.
Question 5: How can workers take advantage of the new job opportunities created by AVs?
The coalition recommends that government agencies establish grant programs for community colleges, universities, and other educational institutions to implement autonomous vehicle-related training programs, ensuring workers can take advantage of high-quality jobs of the future.
