Chairwoman Stevens Holds Field Hearing in Livonia on Smart Mobility
LIVONIA, MI – Today, House Science Research and Technology Subcommittee Chairwoman Haley Stevens (MI-11) held a bipartisan field hearing in Livonia, Michigan, to explore the use of smart technology to improve the ability of small towns and suburban communities to provide safe and efficient mobility options. Chairwoman Stevens’ subcommittee heard from experts from Michigan and across the nation on best practices for integrating this technology into our communities. Research and Technology Subcommittee member Representative Bill Foster (D-IL-11) attended the hearing in addition to Representative Michael Cloud (R-TX-27).
To read Chairwoman Stevens’ opening statement, please click here. Video from the subcommittee hearing can be found here. Photos from the subcommittee hearing can be found here.
“Recent developments in connected and autonomous vehicles, combined with increasing computing power and travel data, have enabled rapid advances in regional planning and mobility,” said Congresswoman Stevens. “Smart technologies have already begun to shape how Americans move around and live. They are being used to reduce traffic congestion and cut emissions. Southeast Michigan has been on the forefront of innovation in this space with our industry leaders and best-in-class workforce, so it’s only fitting that we lead the discussion on how this technology can be made more effective through collaboration between public, private, and academic stakeholders.”
“If Michigan is going to continue to lead on the mobility industry of the future, we need to develop and implement smart technology to improve the lives and safety of Michigan residents and visitors,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “I am glad to see Congresswoman Stevens bring federal attention to these opportunities, and I agree that we should ensure that emerging mobility solutions are inclusive and accessible to diverse communities.”
“As a longtime Member of both the Science, Space, and Technology Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I have great interest in how technologies are being developed and deployed to improve mobility, mitigate congestion, and reduce the environmental impact of transportation. […] Today’s hearing brings together an important and diverse set of perspectives from the public sector, the private sector, and the research community. This is an important discussion and will not be the only hearing this Committee will hold on the future of smart cities and communities. I thank the panel for contributing their time and expertise to our Committee,” said House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson.
“Scientific innovation and technological advancements are beginning to change the nature of transportation for Americans,” said Congressman Foster. “Smart mobility will make travel easier and more efficient – benefitting both individuals and our environment. I’m proud to represent Argonne National Laboratory as part of the 11th Congressional District of Illinois, where research into the next generation of batteries that will power smarter vehicles is taking place. The federal government can play a key role in encouraging innovation and fostering collaboration that will enable the deployment of smart mobility technology across the country. I thank Congresswoman Stevens for holding this field hearing and engaging with the public and with stakeholders on this important topic.”
“The promise of smart mobility is vast—it has the potential to increase safety and save lives, reduce congestion and pollution, and save taxpayers’ money,” said Congressman Cloud. “However, we must ensure that smart mobility technologies also advance a better quality of life for all communities. Citizens in urban, suburban, and rural communities use public transit to go to work or school, keep medical appointments, shop and run errands, and travel to recreational activities.”
The following individuals testified in front of Chairwoman Stevens’ Subcommittee:
- The Honorable David Coulter, Oakland County Executive
- Mr. Mark Dowd, Executive Director, Smart Cities Lab
- Dr. Raj Rajkumar, Director of Mobility21 and George Westinghouse Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University
- Dr. Tierra Bills, Assistant Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Wayne State University
- Mr. Scott Averitt, Technical Expert and Manager of Public/Private Partnerships, Robert Bosch LLC
“Smart Mobility is of immeasurable value to Oakland County and its businesses and residents because it will improve traffic safety and quality of life and attract jobs by driving business development. Oakland County is proud to be on the leading edge of the development of Smart Technology. We will continue to work with our public, private, and non-profit partners to move Smart Mobility solutions forward,” said David Coulter, Oakland County Executive.
“It is important to understand that terms like smart mobility and smart cities are commercial terms that are not intended to exclude regions, suburban and rural communities, or counties. Instead the terms represent the convergence and strategic organization of innovation, digital technologies, and data for the purpose of advancing the goals of environmental sustainability, economic development, equity, efficient service delivery, and enhanced quality of life for individuals and society. Smart cities advance innovations in public policy and administration, which foster collaboration and partnerships focused on place-based and people-oriented solutions,” said Mr. Mark Dowd, Executive Director, Smart Cities Lab.
“I strongly believe that the ability to advance smart city technologies and initiatives depends upon robust and sustained support for fundamental research. While research support is necessary, that in itself is not sufficient. How these technologies benefit our communities depends on how effectively we can deploy and integrate them. Ultimately, our national well-being will rest in part on the ability to foster deployment and cross-regional collaboration. I currently have the privilege of collaborating with colleagues in Michigan on connected and automated vehicles. This hearing can serve to underscore how critical it is to foster collaboration across communities, researchers, institutions, industry, and technology components,” said Dr. Raj Rajkumar, Director of Mobility21 and George Westinghouse Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University.
“Recent study on the benefits of shared mobility suggests that new microtransit services have the potential to help mitigate transportation equity issues and this may hold significant promise for addressing poor transportation accessibility experienced by disadvantage communities. This has long been a pain point for the City of Detroit, where communities experience drastic differences in employment accessibility based on location, racial and income classes, and auto ownership/ transit dependent status. However, the solution may not be as simply as installing more shared mobility. Important questions remain about how well microtransit service can align with specific communities needs and may affect the gap in accessibility between vulnerable and affluent communities,” said Dr. Tierra Bills, Assistant Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Wayne State University.
“Our vision for a smart city is to create an interconnected ecosystem that works to optimize performance, increase efficiency, and enhance quality of life for all. In order for smart community solutions to be successful, they must be born out of people’s experiences and needs. Bosch draws upon a user experience driven process to develop our products and services,” said Mr. Scott Averitt, Technical Expert and Manager of Public/Private Partnerships, Robert Bosch LLC.
To read Chairwoman Stevens’ opening statement, please click here. Video from the subcommittee hearing can be found here. Photos from the subcommittee hearing can be found here.
“Headquartered in Livonia, ZF North America is a leader in vehicle active and passive safety and powertrain systems, serving all major vehicle manufacturers, and manufacturing those products her in the United States. We are honored that today’s hearing will take place at nearby Livonia City Hall, and we look forward to assisting the Committee in its ongoing analysis of smart mobility,” said Brian Laughlin, Head of External Affairs, ZF Group.
“On behalf of Ford Motor Company, I want to thank Chairwoman Stevens and the Subcommittee on Research and Technology under the House Science, Space & Technology committee for exploring the use of smart technology to provide small towns and suburban communities with safe and efficient mobility solutions. […] Congress plays an important role in helping states and municipalities fund various mobility initiatives. By experimenting and sharing best practices from these efforts, communities will continue to improve safety, traffic flow, and livability,” said Curt Magleby, Vice President, Government Affairs, Ford Motor Company.
“At GM, we are guided by our vision of a future with zero crashes, zero emissions, and zero congestion. Smart transportation and smart transportation technology play an important role in moving towards this future state. The continued research and deployment of intelligent transportation technologies, including in suburban communities, will help to save lives, improve mobility, increase transportation efficiency, and provide more accessibility for underserved communities. […] Thank you for holding this very important and timely hearing,” said Elizabeth A. Reicherts, Vice President, External Affairs, General Motors.
“On behalf of Pratt & Miller, I wish to express our strong support for Congresswomen Haley Stevens chairing the hearing of the House Committee on Science, Space & Technology regarding Smart Transportation and Mobility in Suburban Communities. As Pratt & Miller Mobility is at the forefront of research and development of new mobility solutions for all Americans, we feel strongly that smart technology, both on the vehicle side and infrastructure side can not only improve transportation choices but also save lives. We welcome the Congresswomen’s efforts to gather feedback from diverse communities, consider best practices for integration of this community input and consideration of unique community needs,” said Christopher Andrews, Director of Mobility & Innovation, Pratt & Miller.
To read more letters of support for today’s hearing, please click HERE.
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