OPINION:
Transportation works just fine for many people in Washington. But not for the visually impaired, elderly or disabled.
My friend Olivia Norman, who is blind and lives in Washington, faces a massive, time-consuming effort just to get to work or visit friends. Olivia and millions of Americans see a brighter future in autonomous vehicles, which will deliver independence like never before.
So it is alarming that Washington mayoral candidate Janeese Lewis George recently pumped the brakes on autonomous vehicles in the District. Ms. Lewis George cited an artificial intelligence-made “jobs crisis” and said that “[r]ushing the legalization of autonomous vehicles is irresponsible given the anticipated AI-related job displacement and disruptions that put countless workers at risk.”
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But she said nothing about the safety and accessibility crises unfolding on Washington roads.
Through the first eight months of this year, 29 people were killed in traffic crashes in the city, a 123% increase over the same period in 2025. The overwhelming cause is human error: distraction, impairment, fatigue. Autonomous vehicles never drive distracted, impaired, or fatigued. They have a 360-degree view of the world and reaction times no human can match.
Over hundreds of millions of real-world miles, independent studies have confirmed significantly fewer serious injury crashes.
Nor is autonomous vehicle legislation being rushed. Washington adopted its first Autonomous Vehicle Act in 2012 and updated it in 2020, directing the Department of Transportation to deliver a safety report for which the city is still waiting. Council member Charles Allen’s current bill has gone through a public hearing this year. So calling 14 years of process “rushed” is a stretch.
Ms. Lewis George also said that Washington “must be a leader in welcoming new technology.” But a city cannot claim to welcome innovation while slowing the most significant transportation advance in a generation.
Washington residents are ready. A recent national survey found that Washington ranks second among all congressional districts in net comfort with autonomous vehicles.
Autonomous vehicles represent a real opportunity for Washington. Throwing up a stop sign won’t serve people like Olivia Norman or solve the safety crisis on the city’s streets. Ms. Lewis George should change direction.
JEFF FARRAH
CEO, Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association
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