What About the Dog, Soccer Gear, Luggage, Etc.?

Who's the dog in this scenario Harry? A great movie scene. It has nothing to do with autonomous vehicles (AVs), but it brings up the question of what do we do about the dogs, the soccer gear, the luggage, stroller, and, yes, yes, yes, the wheelchairs on AVs? What do we do when we get in a taxi at an airport and there is no driver to lift the luggage into the trunk?

This post is a rant, but one that raises issues I do not see discussed anywhere. Apologies for the run-on sentences.

Will AVs that are shared be accessible for soccer gear, dogs, luggage, groceries and wheelchairs? Are we building these needs into the shared-use model? Are we paying attention to details so that we actually achieve accessibility and greater equity as our transportation system transforms?

Ladies first

Ladies, do you want to ruin the nice outfit you decided not to change out of before heading to the airport to fly home after your brilliant presentation by lifting your luggage and getting wheel dirt on yourself? There is only one answer: No.

Mothers and young children - dads too

These two groups of people are not just related to who got lifeboat seats on the Titanic. Women continue to do a disproportionately high share of childrearing, but for those men who participate (as my dad and husband did), this is for you as well.

WHAT IDIOT DESIGNED CURRENT CARS AND LIGHT TRUCKS SO THAT ONE IS LUCKY TO GET THROUGH THE EXPERIENCE OF RAISING A CHILD TO AGE THREE WITHOUT DEVELOPING A BACK PROBLEM?

Am I right or what? You have to repeatedly transfer a child, who rapidly gains weight (if you are blessed with a healthy child) into position in the rear seat of a car; you have to put all of the heavy kid stuff up to your child's 18-year birthday into the trunk (with some exceptions); AND beyond kids, you have to transfer all groceries twice - into and out of car trunks - instead of just wheeling shopping carts, strollers, and other junk right onto the vehicle.

Again, WHAT IDIOT DESIGNED THE CONVENTIONAL CAR? Not a mom or a dad who does his share or a grandparent or other caregiver who helps out a lot. THE CAR DESIGN WE HAVE IS STUPID. Don Draper was cute in Mad Men, but he epitomized the dad who did little or nothing of the - literally - heavy lifting - involving young children and transportation.

We're all temporarily able bodied - Unfulfilled promise of the ADA

Despite amazing accomplishments since the ADA was passed over 30 years ago, accomplishments that include accessibility of public transit, building access, and sidewalks, there is no disputing the fact that we have far to go, especially in terms of a street network of curb cuts, adequate sidewalk space, intersection signals and design, plus on-demand taxi and ridesourcing transportation that are not fully accessible. And the giant elephant in the room is the auto industry, which is able to escape the ADA by offering expensive retrofits for vehicles, but not true equity, and decades ago successfully transformed the US into an auto paradise.

Auto-oriented communities, which covers most of the US, turn people with disabilities, many seniors, anyone whose license has been suspended or revoked, and people who are unable to afford to purchase and maintain a vehicle, into second class citizens who face huge obstacles to job retention, education, and healthcare access because it is really difficult in most communities to get anywhere without a car.

Bits on timelines 

2018:  Ford testing full AV in 2018 and

2021: Nvidia CEO expects AVs on streets in 2021 and Ford says it will market AV in 2021.

News everywhere: Tesla is behind on its timeline claims, with no word on when promises will be fulfilled.