By now, you may have seen the ads around town about how self-driving cars could help members of our community. You may be asking, “Why did FSL join this campaign?”
As Tom Egan, President and CEO explains, “Enhancing independence for seniors and adults with disabilities is at the core of FSL’s mission. Often, the people we serve must rely upon family members or friends to provide transportation to doctor appointments and the grocery store. Fully self-driving cars would remove this barrier for so many in our community, giving them the independence and dignity they deserve. And can you imagine the stress this would take away from family caregivers who are often pulling double-duty as full-time employees while caring for their loved one?”
So when Waymo (formerly the Google self-driving car project) invited FSL to join the world’s first self-driving car public education campaign, along with Mothers Against Drunk Driving, National Safety Council, Foundation for Blind Children, and East Valley Partnership, we said “yes!” Together, we all share excitement for the potential for self-driving cars to one day open doors to safer and easier transportation for millions of people. When 94% of road crashes today involve human error, self-driving cars promise a future where anyone can ride with a driver that never gets drunk, tired, or distracted.
People who see self-driving cars on the road often have a lot of questions. This is especially true here in Phoenix, where the sight of self-driving cars being tested on public roads is commonplace. Since the early rider program began in April, local residents have been using self-driving vehicles, with a test driver on board, to commute to work, go grocery shopping and take their kids to soccer practice. There’s a lot to talk about when it comes to self-driving cars. As with any new technology, there’s great enthusiasm and curiosity about self-driving cars.
The “Let’s Talk Self Driving” campaign will focus on engaging the public in diverse and creative ways to increase education and understanding about how this new technology can help address some of the biggest safety challenges on our roads today.
Education begins with awareness, so we’re beginning this campaign with a series of digital and outdoor advertising campaigns in Arizona. Our hope is to grow this conversation into a national dialogue and provide opportunities for people to get up close with this technology.
You could join too: We’re calling on others to join us and share their own reasons for how this technology could change their life or the lives of a loved one and why it is meaningful to them. You can learn more by visiting LetsTalkSelfDriving.com.
