Illinois launched a new autonomous vehicle initiative this week as it looks to begin researching and testing the emerging technology that many other states have already embraced.
Gov. Bruce Rauner signed an executive order Thursday launching Autonomous Illinois, an initiative that will be overseen by the Illinois Department of Transportation to develop a testing program for connected and automated vehicles.
The initiative will bring together companies, universities, research institutions and other technology partners that are or have an interest in working on driverless cars. State agencies like the Illinois State Police, Illinois Tollway, Department of Insurance and Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity will also participate in the program.
Both Illinois and Chicago officials have been slower than some other states, like Arizona and California, to adopt the technology. Autonomous Illinois is one of the first moves the state has taken to address driverless vehicles. Rauner signed a bill that went into effect in June, which prevents local municipalities from banning autonomous cars in Illinois. But this new program is the first official initiative that aims to test the technology in the state.
“As the transportation hub for the entire country, Illinois is ideally situated to be a leader in the research of connected and automated vehicles,” Rauner said in a statement. “This technology is here and Illinois is ready to embrace it. Working with our public and private partners, we can make our roads safer, save lives, attract investment and create new high-tech jobs throughout the state.”
So far, the program is testing cars from Innova EV, a tech company in Burr Ridge making semi-autonomous vehicles. The state is testing their vehicles in Itasca, providing last-mile transportation for employees and residents of the Hamilton Lakes Business Park to and from the local train station. Innova EV vehicles are also being tested in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood, providing a ride-sharing program that serves residents of TRC Senior Village.
As part of the program, a driver is required to remain behind the wheel at all times.
“This executive order is a step forward for the state of Illinois' advanced technologies sector, which will help create an environment that supports automated vehicle science, safety and policy,” said Michael Daley, vice president of Innova EV, in a statement. “Today’s announcement demonstrates that Illinois will remain competitive in today’s innovative transportation industry.”
The state is also working with Northwestern University and the University of Illinois on a test track for autonomous vehicles in downstate Rantoul.
Connected and automated vehicles are expected to become an $800 billion industry annually by 2050 when you account for the number of jobs it will create and the increased productivity for motorists, as well as fuel savings, according to data from the state. Autonomous vehicles will also help reduce the number of car crashes in Illinois that cause more than 1,000 deaths every year.
Earlier this year, a self-driving car operated by Uber with an emergency backup driver behind the wheel hit and killed a woman on a street in Tempe, Arizona. And in California, a Tesla vehicle in its autopilot mode crashed into a concrete highway lane divider and burst into flames, killing the driver.
“We want testing to happen here in Illinois, but we want to do it safely,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Randy Blankenhorn in a statement. “Thanks to the governor’s leadership, we can bring our state’s impressive resources together to build a system of transportation that moves people and goods in new ways and puts us at the forefront of innovation.”
