Thank you to Matthew Lesh for coming to present to our Autonomous Vehicles Studio Class!

Matthew Lesh is an AV mobility consultant focused on accessibility, equity, transit integration and deployment. He works the transportation consultant Mobility e3 who help communities take advantage of new mobility technologies such as autonomous vehicles. Matthew gave a presentation to the studio about the possible impacts AVs could have on transportation and the built environment.

Matthew presented both the good and bad impacts that autonomous vehicles could have. AVs have the potential to solve many problems that have vexed planners for years, such as paratransit for people with disabilities and bridging the first and last mile connection to transit. To gain the benefits of automation, Lesh said that AVs must be planned to be accessible for all travelers as a priority and that significant coordination by government agencies between private autonomous vehicles fleets may be necessary.