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Transportation

As every sector of the global economy and nearly every facet of modern society undergo digital transformation, ITIF advocates for policies that spur not just the development of IT innovations, but more importantly their adoption and use throughout the economy. ITIF's work in this area examines how IT can transform not just our vehicles but our entire transportation infrastructure.

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How Applying ‘Buy America’ Provisions to IT Undermines Infrastructure Goals

How Applying ‘Buy America’ Provisions to IT Undermines Infrastructure Goals

Because the cost of producing IT products is lower overseas, applying Buy America provisions to IT components of projects underwritten by the infrastructure bill will raise costs, reduce infrastructure build, and delay project completion—all without creating any net new jobs.

A Policymaker’s Guide to Road User Charges

A Policymaker’s Guide to Road User Charges

A national “road user charge” system would ensure that everyone who drives on America’s roads contributes their fair share of the infrastructure costs.

A Policymaker’s Guide to Connected Cars

A Policymaker’s Guide to Connected Cars

While there is much excitement about autonomous vehicles, connected vehicles hold much more promise over the next decade or so. However, absent proactive public policies, especially to enable infrastructure to “talk” to vehicles, the development and adoption of connected vehicles will be suboptimal.

More Publications and Events

April 3, 2024|Reports & Briefings

Why Congress Should Enact a Mileage-Based User Fee for Heavy Trucking

With the gradual shift from internal combustion to electric vehicles, it is only a matter of time before the nation will have to replace gas taxes with a vehicle miles traveled system to pay for road maintenance. The most sensible way to start would be with heavy trucks.

March 11, 2024|Podcasts

Podcast: The Interplay of Hype and Skepticism in Autonomous Vehicle Advancements, With Richard Mudge

Amidst the burgeoning advancements in autonomous vehicles, striking a balance between expectation and reality emerges as a challenge.

January 5, 2024|Blogs

Policymakers’ Rush to Blame Technology 15 Years Ago Put the D.C. Metro on the Wrong Track

Despite later investigations finding automatic train operations (ATO) was not to blame for a 2009 accident—and decades of operation without problems—officials have yet to reinstate the technology in the rail system, leaving it and the region’s many commuters reliant on human workers operating trains manually.

December 18, 2023|Blogs

Logic, Not Emotions, Should Guide Autonomous Vehicle Deployment

Autonomous vehicles stand out as they offer the potential to reduce accidents & improve urban mobility. Policy decisions need to encourage this potential, rather than being swayed by emotional reactions to isolated events.

July 19, 2023|Presentations

Innovation Highway: Unlocking the Social and Economic Benefits of Autonomous Vehicles

Daniel Castro speaks about autonomous vehicle adoption at an event hosted by U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

April 24, 2023|Op-Eds & Contributed Articles

Technology Investments Should Be a Priority in Rail Safety Act

Congress should include support for autonomous track geometry measurement system in the Railways Safety Act to prevent future accidents. By investing in the development and testing of innovative technologies, Congress can help ensure that the nation’s rail system is safe and reliable.

September 23, 2022|Testimonies & Filings

Comments to the Federal Railroad Administration Regarding Train Crew Size Safety Requirements

The proposed rule, while written to suggest that it will enable rail innovation and the operation of less-than-two-person crews, will in fact likely stifle continued rail innovation and limit any expansion of one-person crews and the economic productivity that generates.

June 13, 2022|Blogs

If Congress Wants to Help American Workers, It Should Not Require Two-Person Train Crews

As technology such as Positive Train Control systems has improved, and further advances in autonomous systems look promising, freight rail companies would like the flexibility of operating trains with less than two operators, not so they can raise profits, but so they can reduce prices to better compete with the trucking sector.

April 18, 2022|Podcasts

Podcast: The Future of Buying Cars, With Daniel Crane

One of the benefits of electric vehicles is they cost less to maintain. But that also means there’s less profit to be had in servicing their warranties, which gives car dealers less incentive to sell them. That’s why EV makers like Tesla and Rivian depend on direct-to-consumer sales and distribution. Unfortunately, there are decades-old dealer-distribution laws standing in the way.

April 4, 2022|Blogs

U.S. Should Stop Delaying Deployment of Autonomous Track Inspection

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) recently denied a U.S. freight railroad permission to use autonomous track inspection technology, a loss for those promoting greater use of automation to enhance rail safety and lower costs in the supply chain.

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