Janelle Irwin Taylor
Florida Polytechnic University is positioning itself as a leader in autonomous vehicle research by installing Senior Director of Special Projects Rahul Razdan to spearhead a new series of reports on the testing and validation of emerging driverless vehicle technology.
Razdan will work with the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) International as lead editor of the group’s research reports aiming to develop groundbreaking research on international mobility engineering.
Researchers at the Lakeland-based university hope the series will break down harmful stereotypes surrounding autonomous vehicle technology and change the way people think about the new technology.
“The current automotive paradigm has reached an equilibrium within the economy over the last century,” Razdan said. “Soon autonomous vehicles will change this equilibrium in unexpected ways in fields ranging from transportation to finance. In these research reports, we’ll explore the changes this technology will create in multiple areas including safety, where there are so many unanswered questions.”
The series will include three reports on research findings. The will center on testing and verification, how environmental factors like weather could affect autonomous vehicle operation and on what impact the technology will have on society including resulting changes to insurance and law enforcement policies.
“My role will involve setting up a framework and pulling from local, national, and worldwide leaders in the autonomous vehicle field from industry, government, and academia,” Razdan said. “One of the key groups we will leverage is the Advanced Mobility Institute from Florida Poly. I will then pull together the reports based on input from all the contributors.”
As Florida Poly’s senior director of special projects, Razdan serves as an adviser to the president of the University and helps manage the Advanced Mobility Institute, a university research center focused on advancing and testing autonomous vehicle technology.
Razdan’s new position comes just after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis last week signed a bill into law legalizing autonomous vehicles on Florida roads with or without a driver. The legislation is thought to make Florida a leader in emerging driverless vehicle technology and research.
