U.S. Department of Transportation seeks input on AI applications for transportation and mobility

Background

President Biden’s October 2023 AI Executive Order (AI EO) directs DOT’s Advanced Research Projects Agency – Infrastructure (ARPA-I) to “explore transportation-related opportunities and challenges of AI – including regarding software-defined AI enhancements impacting autonomous mobility ecosystems.” ARPA-I’s overarching mission is to fund external innovative advanced research and development programs to improve U.S. transportation infrastructure, including development costs, environmental impacts, safety and efficiency, resilience, and U.S. global leadership, and AI is a key part of the agenda. While AI is already being explored, developed, and/or implemented across all DOT’s operating administrations, ARPA-I is specifically focused on R&D opportunities that lead to innovative technologies, systems, and capabilities.

Potential Development and Uses of AI in Transportation

The RFI invites respondents to consider the range of potential AI use cases for transportation, including physical infrastructure, digital infrastructure, and operations. The RFI uses the AI EO’s definition of AI and defines “digital infrastructure” as “the sensing, computation, automation, networking, connectivity, data management, analysis, optimization, control and virtual elements that underpin our physical transportation infrastructure.” The RFI clarifies that DOT is not only interested in transportation-specific proposals but also the potential for AI-driven improvements to DOT’s core business, regulatory, and permitting functions.

To help respondents understand the breadth of ideas it hopes to elicit, DOT provides an illustrative, non-exhaustive list of potential areas for DOT-funded research and development (R&D). R&D examples include pedestrian safety; real-time decision support tools; autonomous mobility systems on roads and rails, in the air, and on water; traffic monitoring and optimization; and infrastructure planning.

RFI Questions

DOT seeks input from an array of stakeholders, including innovators and technology developers, researchers and universities, transportation system and infrastructure owners and operators, transportation-focused groups, organizations and associations, and the public. DOT also requests that commenters provide real-world applications and actual examples of AI technologies, tools, and methods currently being used or contemplated for future use in the transportation and mobility domain, where possible and appropriate.

Current Transportation Applications, Future Transportation Opportunities, and Potential Challenges

The RFI seeks input on current, near-term, and future AI applications for transportation, including the mode(s) of transportation covered and how they support or advance DOT’s stated priorities, including safety, climate and sustainability, equity, economic strength and global competitiveness, and transformation. DOT also asks about potential challenges, including risks and barriers to responsible adoption, and how those challenges could impact DOT’s stated priorities.

Autonomous Mobility Ecosystems

DOT seeks information about AI-related opportunities, challenges, and risks for autonomous mobility ecosystems, including software-defined enhancements. The RFI asks commenters to describe how AI can responsibly facilitate autonomous mobility, including safety considerations.

Other Considerations

DOT seeks information on other considerations relevant to the development, challenges, and opportunities of AI in transportation, including potential priorities in transportation-specific future AI R&D funding, access to transportation datasets, the development of AI testbeds, physical and digital infrastructure needs and requirements, and workforce training and education.

Next Steps

The RFI is an opportunity for stakeholders to contribute to U.S. policy efforts at the intersection of transportation, mobility, and emerging AI technologies. Comments are due July 2, 2024.

Authored by Katy Milner, Mark Brennan, Ryan Thompson, and Ambia Harper.