Emerging Legal Issues for Transportation Researchers Using Passively Collected Data Sets
With the advent of new technologies used to gather and process data, large data sets are being collected which are of interest to transportation researchers. However, legal and ethical questions around data ownership and protection in the context of emerging technologies, especially with regard to emerging automated and connected vehicle technologies, are still being formulated and addressed but not settled. This research compares the uses of primary and secondary, passively collected data sources to identify legal considerations affecting access to these data for transportation researchers. With privately sourced data becoming more prevalent, researchers are faced with additional duties and changing practices. This exploratory research aims to provide guidance to transportation researchers on the legal and ethical requirements for data protection.
Click below to view the report:
Micromobility Safety Regulation: Municipal Best Practices Review
As rented and shared micromobility options, e-scooters are new and potentially transformative app-based modes that promise to alleviate first mile/last mile mobility issues, congestion, and more. Yet their safe deployment has not yet been systematically understood or standardized by users, cities, or operators. As of December 2019, 1,500 people had been injured and 8 killed in e-scooter crashes. These devices are not yet regulated by a federal agency like the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), and their use is not uniformly regulated at the municipal level. Some jurisdictions are imposing strict regulations across a region, regardless of density levels or urban design, while others have not imposed any rules at all. Without further understanding of what constitutes effective local regulation, the safe operation of these devices may not improve. This project explores what types of regulations municipalities and regions are imposing in an effort to address the safe deployment of these micromobility options.
Policy Implications of Transportation Network Companies
Transportation network companies (TNCs) are rapidly expanding organizations that use digital technologies to connect passengers to drivers who use their personal vehicles to provide for-hire ride services. This research was designed to help Texas policy makers navigate the evolving policy considerations presented by the rising popularity—and accompanying controversy—of TNCs. This report presents the findings of a TNC legislative and regulatory review, discussions of priority issues related to TNC policy, and future considerations related to TNC policy.
Click below to view report:
Municipal Best Practices Review: Livery Transport Regulatory Framework
TTI researchers supported the City of Calgary by conducting a regulatory review of North American jurisdictions to identify the current state of regulatory practice for transportation network companies and livery services in the United States and Canada. Researchers identified best practices for the City of Calgary to use in developing a regulatory framework for these services.
Click below to view report:
Coordinating State Policies, Laws, and Regulations for Automated Driving Systems across New England
Automated Driving System (ADS)-equipped vehicles may challenge existing regulatory and governance structures. For this reason, states have been encouraged to and are actively preparing for their testing and deployment through the review of existing policies, laws, and regulations around vehicle operations. The purpose of this report is to identify legal issues and provide recommendations on how the New England States (“NE States”) can coordinate on a uniform, or more consistent, policy, statutory and regulatory approach to support multi-state deployment of ADS-equipped vehicles across the region. The coordinated research and visioning that has been invested in and completed by the NE States provides a strong foundation for the continued collaboration to bring increased testing and deployment of ADS-equipped vehicles to the region.
Click below to view report:
- Coordinating State, Policies, Laws, and Regulations for Automated Driving Systems across New England
Investigate Potential Connected and Automated Vehicle (CAV) Liability Issues Within TxDOT
Connected and automated vehicles (CAV) promise momentous and positive changes to most aspects of modern life. Mobility is likely to be characterized by collaborative, communicative and driverless vehicles operating in a connected network of vehicles, infrastructure and wireless devices. One of the most uncertain and as yet undefined areas where change can be expected is legislation surrounding the licensing and operation of these technologies. Questions of liability dominate research and conversation about how to manage new mobility paradigms, including in areas of state and local government tort liability. And although governmental entities typically enjoy some level of sovereign immunity, there are areas identified in state law where they have limited liability for specific torts. This research project identifies potential tort liability for the Receiving Agency and other governmental agencies associated with CAV technologies. The Performing Agency shall provide foundational research necessary for the Receiving Agency to proactively identify, assess and address legal liabilities that may arise under current law and legal liabilities that may arise under new law as the result of CAV implementations.
Texas Connected and Automated Vehicle Task Force Communication Plan
Researchers in the planning and engagement program provide support to the Governor’s Connected and Automated Vehicle (CAV) Task Force. Specifically, we are providing support to the outreach and education subcommittee to advance education about CAV operation and advancement in Texas.
Click below to view the website: