On Friday, November 9, 2018, Babst Calland participated in the Deployment Partner Consortium Symposium at Carnegie Mellon University organized and hosted by Traffic21 Institute and Mobility21 Transportation Center.  The Symposium brought together thought leaders in the mobility and transportation space to identify real-world transportation needs, as well as the policy and research challenges that come with advancing technology.

Johanna Jochum, attorney in Babst Calland’s Mobility, Transport and Safety and Emerging Technologies practice groups, spoke on the government panel regarding regulatory challenges at the federal level for autonomous vehicle technology. Ms. Jochum is based in Babst Calland’s Washington, D.C. office, which has direct ties to the federal regulators in transportation.

Babst Calland is a new member of Mobility21’s Deployment Partner Consortium, along with other industry and public partners.  Mobility21, the National University Transportation Center for Improving Mobility, aims to research, develop and deploy cutting edge technologies and policies, and develop educational programs to lay the groundwork for next-generation vehicles and mobility services.  Read more about Mobility21 and the Symposium at Mobility21 News.

Carnegie Mellon University’s Traffic21 Institute, which is housed in the Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy, was founded on the motto of Research, Development and Deployment encouraging researchers to address real-world transportation needs through partnerships. Since 2012, Carnegie Mellon University has maintained the Deployment Partner Consortium, and it continues that tradition with its US DOT funded National University Transportation Center, Mobility21, with the goal of improving the mobility of people and goods.

“Carnegie Mellon University has been at the forefront of autonomous vehicle technology for many years and continues its thought leadership through Traffic21, Mobility21 and its smart cities institute, Metro21,” said Alana Fortna, Pittsburgh-based litigation attorney and member of Babst Calland’s Emerging Technologies practice group.  “Carnegie Mellon University has had such a positive impact on Pittsburgh’s presence in the technology arena, and Babst Calland is proud to partner with the folks who are moving the needle on these issues.”

“There are so many challenges for companies engaging in advancements in autonomous vehicle technology from a federal policy standpoint,” said Ms. Jochum. “We help our clients develop vehicle technology business decisions, given the understandable uncertainties over the current and emerging federal regulatory approach.”

Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pa., Babst Calland capitalizes on synergies with its Washington, D.C. office in serving the needs of mobility, transport and safety and emerging technologies clients. Babst Calland also has focused law practices in environmental, litigation, construction, corporate and commercial, creditors’ rights and insolvency, employment and labor, energy and natural resources, public sector, and real estate. Babst Calland also has offices in Charleston, W.Va., State College, Pa., Canton, Ohio and Sewell, N.J.

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