Technologies for Enhanced Vehicle Access for People with Cognitive Disabilities

1. ODEP Technologies and Tools to Support Vehicle Access for People with Cognitive Disabilities Auto Alliance Workshop on Technologies for Providing Increased Vehicle Accessibility to People with Disabilities and Older Adults July 19, 2019 | Keck Center of the National Academies Scott Michael Robertson, PhD Policy Advisor, Employment-Related Supports Policy Team Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)

2. Outlining the Presentation • ODEP’s mission and vision for increasing employment • Accessible Automated Vehicles (AVs): Driving Employment for People with Disabilities • Overview of Cognitive Disabilities • Technologies and Tools to Enhance Vehicle Access for People with Cognitive Disabilities ODEP’s website: www.dol.gov/odep

3. ODEP Seeks to Increase Employment Access for Americans with Disabilities Only non-regulatory federal agency that promotes policies and coordinates with employers and all levels of government to increase workplace success for people with disabilities • Mission: Develop and influence policies that increase the number and quality of employment opportunities for people with disabilities • Vision: A world in which people with disabilities have unlimited employment opportunities

4. Fostering Accessible AVs: Driving Employment for People with Disabilities • Active collaboration with the U.S. Dept. of Transportation (DOT) and other federal partners • Workforce and accessibility focuses for enhancing AV policy and practices to advance transportation to work • 3 Listening and Information-Gathering Sessions (advocacy organizations, researchers, OEMs, and service providers) • Summary Report on AV activities (in development)

5. Describe People with Cognitive Disabilities • ~28 million people in the U.S. • Atypical learning, thinking, information processing, sensing, etc. • Examples: autism, ADHD, intellectual disability, mental health disabilities • Transportation to work barriers • Differing rates for driver’s licenses attainment • Cognitive access needs for technology and use of assistive technology for daily living Diverse brains

6. Technologies and Tools Foster Cognitive Accessibility in Vehicles • Exploration of user experience of youth and adults with cognitive disabilities and usability testing for design • Cognitive accessibility profiles for vehicles and connected apps, devices, and smart infrastructure • Virtual intelligent agents (customizable) for in-vehicle use • Vehicle design scenario (hypothetical) for user with a cognitive disability

7. Design Tech to Fit User Experiences of Riders with Cognitive Disabilities • Apply user finding methods (e.g., contextual inquiry) to explore in-vehicle needs for people with cognitive disabilities • Use of vehicles, including ridesharing and for-hire car services • Access needs for traveling to work and community activities • Usage of accessible and assistive technology • Adopt persona spectrums for riders with cognitive disabilities • Test cognitive affordances and cognitive usability of in-vehicle technology features • Tap affinity groups and employee resources groups • Employees with cognitive disabilities • Family members, friends, and allies

8. Utilize Cognitive Accessibility Profiles for Vehicle Systems • Personalized, adjustable profiles of cognitive access needs, supports, and accommodations linked to an app/the cloud • Facilitators for access (abilities, aids, support functions) • Barriers for access (difficulties, challenges) • Use of accessible and assistive technology devices, systems • Cognitive communication preferences, including for alternative and augmentative communication (AAC)

9. Adopt Intelligent Agents in Vehicles • Leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning • Integration with cognitive accessibility profiles • Technology advancements beyond current intelligent agent technology (e.g., Siri, Alexa, Google Assistant, Cortana) • Adjustable language and communication, including for plain language, social scaffolding, and social support circles • On-demand situational prompts, reminders, memory aids, etc. for varying scenarios

10. Spotlighting a Scenario for Vehicle Design: User Profile of Michael (Hypothetical) • New apprentice in the construction trade • 18-year-old young adult on the autism spectrum (recent high school graduate) • Co-occurring intellectual disability, panic disorder, and generalized anxiety • User of an AAC deviceto communicate AAC device • Barriers to vehicle use (e.g., communication) suggest enhancements to vehicle technology features • AAC to vehicle connection (like smartphone integration) • Intelligent agent personalized for Michael’s access profile

11. ODEP’s Resources • Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology: https://www.peatworks.org • ODEP’s Topic Resource Webpage on Transportation: https://www.dol.gov/odep/topics/Transportation.htm • ODEP’s Topic Resource Webpage on Autism: https://www.dol.gov/odep/topics/Autism.htm • Contact ODEP via odep@dol.gov or 866-ODEP-DOL