Inclusive Design Reference Hub

In July 2020, as part of the Breaking Down Barriers event celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) committed to undertake a new initiative to establish a library of resources for accessibility in automation, and work with outside experts to study voluntary best practices for ensuring accessibility in automated vehicles. 

On December 21, 2020, DOT released a Request for Information (RFI), inviting stakeholders to provide input on critical first steps in this process, the qualifications of entities that are best suited to perform this work, and considerations to ensure long-term sustainability of this initiative. As part of this RFI, DOT identified existing resources pertaining to inclusive design and automated vehicles that may be featured in the Inclusive Design Reference Hub, and welcomes input on additional resources that should be included. DOT has extended the comment period for this RFI; responses are requested no later than 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on February 19, 2021.

This initiative will serve as a “one-stop shop” for engineers, designers, and individuals with disabilities to find and to collaborate on technical resources for an inclusive future. An initial investment to launch this initiative will seek to establish a process to maintain this resource in regular consultation with stakeholders, including relevant standards development organizations, primarily through existing forums. DOT will assess potential approaches in terms of how likely they are to result in a self-sustaining long-term effort that includes active participation from all stakeholders with relevant expertise and perspective.

Examples of existing resources that might be featured in the Inclusive Design Reference Hub are listed in the RFI and on the Resources page for the Inclusive Design Challenge.