The U.S. Senate confirmed Elaine Chao as U.S. Secretary of Transportation. In a congratulatory letter sent today (January 31), the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America) emphasized that it stands ready to work with Secretary Chao and her department to accelerate the widespread deployment of intelligent, transformational transportation systems.
“Today, we find ourselves in the midst of a whirlwind period of innovation in transportation — driven by swift advances in cloud computing, automation, robotics and artificial intelligence. This, in turn, is changing the fundamental makeup of entire industries,” wrote Regina Hopper, ITS America president and CEO. “Our members would like to work closely with you to build a transportation infrastructure that is the technological envy of the world — a national system that drives economic growth, enhances global competitiveness, advances safety, and improves mobility.”
Hopper stressed that the diverse membership of ITS America — spanning private companies, researchers, academics and public agencies — provides a unique resource for the Administration and shared the organization’s public policy roadmap developed in consultation with its members that will be officially released in early February. The roadmap emphasizes support for new and long-term funding and financing for tech-driven transportation infrastructure; solvency of the Highway Trust Fund; and increased investments in vehicle-to-infrastructure mobility and safety applications.
ITS America also expressed appreciation for the perspective Secretary Chao offered in her confirmation hearings, where she acknowledged that the private sector is driving innovation in transportation, and it is important to “position the federal government as a catalyst for safe, efficient technologies, not as an impediment.”
