Pascal Van Hentenryck, the director of the NSF Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research Institute for Advances in Optimization (AI4OPT) and an expert in the field of autonomous trucks, contributes his voice to the recently published article titled "Ban on Driverless Autonomous Trucks Called for in California Bill." He emphasizes the importance of creating dedicated lanes for autonomous trucks, drawing a parallel to HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) lanes for commuters. In addition, Van Hentenryck highlights the progress made by several states, including Georgia and Maryland, in studying and implementing dedicated lanes for autonomous trucks. His expertise and insights bring credibility to the ongoing discussion surrounding the development and regulation of autonomous trucking. 

The A. Russell Chandler III Chair and Professor has collaborated with Ryder System, Inc. on the industry’s first data-driven study of the potential impact of autonomous trucking. Van Hentenryck and his team have spent years developing an On-Demand Multimodal Transit System (ODMTS) to address the first- and last-mile problems in public transportation and provide equitable, efficient, and low-cost public transportation options.