Rep. Miller Addresses World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems

Press Release

Today, U.S. Representative Candice Miller (MI-10), a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, issued the following statement after joining attendees of the 2014 World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) to discuss the future of federal transportation initiatives that would help advance automotive ITS technologies:

"Throughout our history, our government has worked with the private sector and innovators to explore and incentivize new technologies that advance our ability to safely move people, goods and services across our nation, and the world, in ways that expand our economy and opportunity.

"As Michigan's Secretary of State, I was responsible for the administration of the motor vehicle bureau and served as Chair of Michigan's traffic safety commission. Working with public officials, law enforcement offices and the auto industry, we adopted multiple reforms, including driver education requirements and a graduated driver licensing system for young drivers. As a result, we saw a steep decline in crashes and fatalities on the road.

"These solutions weren't rocket science; they were common sense. They also weren't achieved solely by government or an individual, they were achieved through cooperation, consultation and consensus of a variety of groups determined to solve problems. This is the approach we must take going forward to not only meet the challenges of how we address our aging infrastructure, but also how we leverage the advancement of auto safety technology.

"In Congress, I am honored to serve as Michigan's only member on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, where I continue to work on ways to not only meet the needs of our economy, but also to make our roads safer. At both the state and national level, we must explore new financing options, like public-private-partnerships, to maintain and improve infrastructure and seek out ways to incentivize the private sector to advance technologies that improve vehicle safety.

"Today, I had the opportunity to meet with leaders in ITS to discuss emerging technologies, like Vehicle-to-Vehicle and Vehicle-to-Infrastructure communications, and ways that Congress can help advance their development through incentives versus mandates. These technologies have great promise to improve safety and help reduce congestion and crashes. I will continue to work with industry leaders and my colleagues in the House to advocate for a commonsense approach to transportation safety."

The World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems is an international meeting and exhibition that includes the world's leading transportation policymakers, technology, and business professionals who share the common goal of bringing greater levels of safety, reliability, sustainability and accessibility to transportation systems worldwide. The international meeting and exhibit rotates among three major geographic regions, the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific annually. Held in the United States once every three years, the 21st World Congress on Intelligent Transportation Systems is being held in Detroit, Michigan from September 7-11, 2014. For more information on the World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems, please visit them online: http://itsworldcongress.org/about/world-congress/

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