The U.S. Department of Transportation recently launched two new working groups under its Non-Traditional and Emerging Transportation Technology or NETT Council – the first on personal rapid transit or PRT and the other on advanced and urban aerial mobility or AUAM.
[Above photo by USDOT.]
This is in addition to the tunneling and hyperloop working groups that already operational, the USDOT said in a news release.
In the area of mass transportation, PRT systems consist of high-speed, automated pod vehicles on elevated tracks. PRT system innovators are working with the department to understand similar issues related to regulatory and funding requirements, operational requirements, and partnerships to deploy the new transportation technology in local communities.
The PRT working group will approach this technology with an approach similar to that used with hyperloop systems, determining what authorities and regulatory requirements might apply.
Concurrently, the AUAM working group will support USDOT in exploring the regulatory and funding requirements, operational constraints, multimodal connections and partnerships needed to advance a variety of drone technologies for public use.
“Already, we are seeing that the tech-neutral, open-door approach that the department has established has provided clarity on the regulatory future of these technologies, which in turn has unlocked hundreds of millions in private sector investments,” the USDOT said.
“The creation of these two new working groups will help ensure that these technologies can develop safely, without delay,” the agency added.
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