FutureFlight On The Radar
U.S. Department of Transportation Seeks Comments on Future Technology Proposals
Stakeholders have until September 28, 2020, to comment on proposals published in the U.S. DoT's Pathways to the Future of Transportation document.

The Pathways to the Future of Transportation document was published on July 28, 2020, by the Non-Traditional & Emerging Transportation Technology Council (NETT) established by the U.S. Department for Transportation in 2019. At face value, the document appears to do little more than lay more groundwork for the NETT Council's mission of bringing innovators and entrepreneurs together to advance the adoption of new transportation technology. 

The report spells out how various U.S. government agencies, including the Federal Aviation Administration, are engaged in regulating the introduction of new transportation technology. It also explains the basis on which projects might be eligible for federal funding or other support, as well as detailing requirements such as environmental standards and "Buy American" policies. The report acknowledges that an earlier consultation completed in December 2019 included comments from the private sector that "regulatory uncertainty" may be a disincentive for investment in transportation technology in the U.S.