Striving to remove barriers that prevent us from building Vibrant, Diverse, Inclusive, Accessible Communities!
San Francisco has long had a reputation as the hub of U.S. innovation, yet too many People with Disabilities still struggle gaining access to one of the most basic requirements of daily life: safe, dependable transit. While San Francisco’s public transportation systems have made progress, the sad reality is that they remain inconsistent and inaccessible for far too many residents. With nearly one in eight San Franciscans reporting a disability of some kind according to the most recent U.S. Census data, it’s past time the technological innovations that are born in this city actually serve a wider range of the people who live, work, study and raise families here.
San Francisco’s geography is as challenging as it is beautiful. Steep hills, densely populated neighborhoods and uneven transit coverage create barriers that disproportionately affect People with Disabilities. Even where public transit is available, it might be unreliable, difficult to navigate, or challenging from a psychological or developmental point of view.
Traditional ride-hailing services are only as reliable and safe as the people operating the vehicles. Rude and ableist comments, impatience and frustration when encountering passengers with disability-related access needs, and refusals of passengers with service animals are described. It’s not unusual for rides to drive past and cancel when a passenger has a disability they can quickly spot.
Autonomous vehicles remove these particular barriers to access. They arrive consistently, without the risk of a no-show or a last-minute cancellation. “Safety” means different things to different people. Take Marcus, a 19-year-old on the autism spectrum whose name has been changed to protect his privacy. Marcus quickly took to using the app to hail rides and finally had greater control of his comings and goings, without having to rely on his parents for transportation. Through our work together, Waymo has demonstrated something crucial: Innovation and accessibility are not competing goals. They are mutually reinforcing.
Read the Full Article: Why autonomous vehicles are essential to SF disability community.
By: Lana Nieves
