Resources

The Inclusive Design Challenge sought innovative ideas in how to create accessible automated vehicles (AVs) to address the needs of over 25 million Americans who report having travel-limiting disabilities (BTS, 2018). For teams who participated in the Challenge, or looking to increase inclusive design outside the Challenge, the resources linked below may provide inspiration. These documents discuss the range of transportation needs of people with disabilities, research conducted on how AVs might meet those needs, relevant design considerations, and emerging technical standards and best practices.

These documents include resources produced by the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) and other Federal agencies, as well as external organizations. DOT neither controls nor guarantees the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of the information contained in non-government Web site links and does not endorse or guarantee the sponsoring organizations or the information provided. This material is provided for informational purposes only and is not an exhaustive list.

User Needs

• Travel Patterns of American Adults with Disabilities (Bureau of Transportation Statistics, September 2018)
• Accessible Transportation Technologies Research Initiative (ATTRI) User Needs Assessment: Stakeholder Engagement Report (Battelle, May 2016)

Potential of AVs to Address Needs

• Autonomous Vehicles: Driving Employment for People with Disabilities (U.S. Department of Labor, October 2019)
• Self-Driving Cars: The Impact on People with Disabilities (Ruderman Family Foundation, January 2017) 
• Self-Driving Cars: Mapping Access to a Technology Revolution (National Council on Disability, November 2015)

Design Considerations

• Identifying Automated Driving Systems-Dedicated Vehicles (ADS-DVs) Passenger Issues for Persons with Disabilities (SAE International, November 2019)
• AVs and Increased Accessibility Workshop Series (Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, May/July/September 2019)
• Driverless Cars and Accessibility: Designing the Future of Transportation for People with Disabilities (ITS America, April 2019)
• CCD Transportation Task Force Autonomous Vehicle Principles (Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities, December 2018)
• Fully Accessible Autonomous Vehicles Checklist (Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund, November 2018)

Additional Resources

• Vehicles:
  • 49 CFR 571.141: Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (NHTSA)
  • 49 CFR 571.206: Door locks and door retention components (NHTSA)
  • 49 CFR 571.222: School bus passenger seating and crash protection (NHTSA)
  • 49 CFR 571.403: Platform Lift Systems for Motor Vehicles (NHTSA)
  • 49 CFR 571.404: Platform Lift Installations in Motor Vehicles (NHTSA)
  • 49 CFR part 38: Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)—Accessibility Specifications For Transportation Vehicles (U.S. Access Board/ DOT)
  • QAP-103: National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association Quality Assurance Program Guidelines (NMEDA)
  • SAE J1725: Structural Modification for Personally Licensed Vehicles to Meet the Transportation Needs of Persons with Disabilities (SAE)
  • SAE J1903: Automotive Adaptive Driver Controls, Manual (SAE)
  • SAE J2092: Testing of Wheelchair Lifts for Entry to or Exit from a Personally Licensed Vehicle (SAE)
  • SAE J2093: Design Considerations for Wheelchair Lifts for Entry to or Exit from a Personally Licensed Vehicle (SAE)
  • SAE J2094: Vehicle and Control Modifications for Drivers with Physical Disabilities Terminology (SAE)
  • SAE J2603: Recommended Practice for Powered Gas Brake Control Systems (SAE)
• Mobility Equipment:
  • ANSI/RESNA WC-4:2017: Wheelchairs and Transportation (RESNA)
  • ISO 10542-1: Technical systems and aids for disabled or handicapped persons—Wheelchair tiedown and occupant-restraint systems (ISO)
  • ISO 10865: Wheelchair containment and occupant retention systems for accessible transport vehicles designed for use by both sitting and standing passengers (ISO)
  • ISO 10865: Part 1: Systems for rearward-facing wheelchair-seated passengers (ISO)
  • ISO 10865: Part 2: Systems for forward-facing wheelchair-seated passengers (ISO)
  • ISO 16840-4: Wheelchair seating—Part 4: Seating systems for use in motor vehicles (ISO)
  • ISO 7176-19: Wheeled mobility devices for use as seats in motor vehicles (ISO)
  • RESNA SP-3 (under development): Universal Docking Interface Guidelines (UDIG) (RESNA)
  • SAE J2249: Wheelchair Tiedown and Occupant Restraint Systems for Use in Motor Vehicles (SAE)
• Electronic Interfaces/Devices:
  • 36 CFR 1194.1: Standards for Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (U.S. Access Board)
  • ANSI/RESNA CA-1: Universal Criteria for Reporting the Cognitive Accessibility of Products and Technologies (RESNA)
  • CTA-CEB27: Recommended Practice for Audio Accessibility of Audiovisual Devices (CTA)
  • ISO 21801-1: Cognitive accessibility—Part 1: General guidelines (ISO)
  • ISO 9241-171: Ergonomics of human-system interaction—Part 171: Guidance on software accessibility (ISO)
  • ISO/IEC 24786: Information Technology—User interfaces—Accessible user interface for accessibility settings (ISO/IEC)
  • ISO/IEC 29138-1: Information technology—User interface accessibility—Part 1: User accessibility needs (ISO/IEC)
  • ISO/IEC TS 20071-21:2015: Information technology—User interface component accessibility—Part 21: Guidance on audio descriptions (ISO/IEC)
  • WCAG 2.1: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines Overview (W3C)
• General Product Usability and Accessibility:
  • ISO/IEC 20282: Ease of operation of everyday products (ISO)
  • ISO/IEC 20282-1: Part 1: Design requirements for context and use and user characteristics (ISO)
  • ISO/IEC 20282-2: Part 2: Summative test method (ISO)
  • ISO/IEC 20282-3: Part 3: Test method for consumer products (ISO)
  • ISO/IEC 20282-3: Part 4: Test method for the installation of consumer products (ISO)
  • ISO/IEC 24756: Framework for specifying a common access profile (CAP) of needs and capabilities of users, systems, and their environments (ISO)