In the San Francisco, California, neighborhood where I live, fully autonomous vehicles (AVs) have been a fixture on our streets in some capacity since 2017, thanks to Waymo, Zoox, Cruise and others. This was initially in preparation for the commercial rollout of self-driving vehicles. Over the years, I’ve witnessed firsthand how these high-tech, expensive AVs perform under various conditions. They are summoned via a smartphone, and passengers are silently whisked away.

When I asked my engineer friends at these companies what they were testing for, they explained that our neighborhood presented unique challenges, which specialists and engineers in imaging, AI and machine learning were eager to address. The goal was to train their systems to perform flawlessly by exposing them to a wide range of weather conditions, vehicle types, pedestrians, scooters, bikers, skateboarders and topographies typical of the Fog City.

Now, with Waymo’s public availability in Los Angeles, California, and Phoenix, Arizona, the world is seeing what I’ve been witnessing: These robot cars are the only vehicles consistently obeying the rules — making complete stops at stop signs and behaving like well-mannered motorists. (Another, more humorous lesson: It’s useless to honk at or curse at an AV, no matter the circumstance. Never argue with fools, right?)

Mobility as a problem

On a more serious note, the race to bring autonomous technology to cars, trucks and beyond is accelerating. Contestants working to be the first with a wide-scale commercial AV are pursuing a treasure chest of benefits promised by autonomous advocates. These include dynamic real-time agility, dramatic reductions in accident rates, and significant cost savings and safety advantages.

However, when considering mobility breakthroughs, it’s important to take a step back from companies like Waymo and other flashy new technologies. I want to recall a critical fact for us here in the U.S.: More than 15 million Americans lack access to adequate transportation. That’s 1 in 20 people facing barriers to employment, healthcare, education and food shopping, which limits their economic freedom, health, opportunities and life expectancy. The U.S. Department of Transportation recognized the seriousness of the issue when it launched the “Equity Action Plan,” prioritizing transportation equity in wealth creation, community power, interventions and expanding access.

Several national transit experts have spotlighted the challenges of equitable transit, including those now facing San Francisco. This is particularly notable because AVs are actually exacerbating transportation inequity, rather than solving it. As AVs grow, their services siphon off public transit riders, which in turn erodes public transit revenue. Public transit has been in a tailspin since the COVID-19 pandemic, and the situation is only getting worse as cheaper, more convenient rideshares become more common.

TransitCenter, a prominent New York-based nonprofit transit advocacy organization, reported that in San Francisco, “the average Latinx resident can access 122,826 potential jobs in 45 minutes using transit; the average Black resident can access 151,927 jobs; and the average Asian resident can access 143,744 jobs — compared to 184,791 for the average White resident.” The report cited a lack of urban planning and development for transit and institutionalized inequality as key factors.

Jeffrey Tumlin, former director of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, stated it this way in 2021: “The current funding base is broken, as ride-hail and autonomous vehicles cut our revenues. We need new tools to manage San Francisco's limited street space to move more people and goods and prioritize those with the fewest choices.”

The city government has pushed for changes, such as releasing an equity toolkit and planning a new underground light rail system — a subway — that will replace what is currently the city’s busiest bus corridor. But those efforts have made little impact.

It’s important to look elsewhere for disruptive strategies that might help — and this is where a young, small engineering company, SkedGo, could make a difference. Since December 2021, this private-sector mobility pioneer has taken a very different approach compared to AV companies like Waymo. SkedGo has been working with Feonix, a U.S.-based nonprofit, to develop mobility solutions targeting underserved communities that might be left out of traditional bus stops and subway stations.

SkedGo was founded in 2009 by Claus von Hessberg, Tim Cooper, Adrian Schoenig and John Nuutinen. The founders, after encountering a logistical issue when organizing transport for a regular football match, set out to solve the problem through mapping tools. SkedGo provides the technological building blocks, via white labels, APIs and SDKs, to create mobility solutions for governments, transit agencies, leading startups and corporations. Incorporated in Germany and Australia, the company has strong roots in both countries, with additional teams based in the U.K., Vietnam and Argentina.

SkedGo’s solutions aim to transform urban transport by integrating multiple transport modes, including public transit, rideshare and last-mile services, into unified, accessible and customizable digital platforms. Their innovation focuses on improving transportation efficiency, accessibility and personalization. Users can organize their travel options via the app or, traditionally, by booking or canceling trips through a call center. Screen-reader-friendly applications and easy-to-use interfaces enhance accessibility. The aim is to offer Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) in a way that reflects community needs, enabling inclusive access to public transport.

SkedGo's approach solves real problems. Currently, across several U.S. states, the partnership ensures access to reliable and affordable transport, helping people get to work, medical appointments or travel in rural or low-density areas, and assisting older adults or people living with disabilities. SkedGo’s technologies bring multimodal transport options to the communities that Feonix serves. In March 2023, Feonix was deployed as part of the Michigan Mobility Wallet Challenge to break down transportation barriers for key populations, including in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Jackson and surrounding areas. SkedGo delivered tailored technology to support veterans and families experiencing poverty, improving access to healthcare, employment and essential travel.

There are other examples where SkedGo’s work with Feonix is making an impact. For instance, the nonprofit N4 project, Neighbor Network of Northern Nevada, provides clarity on transportation options and discounts on most services — although it primarily caters to Native American tribes that need transit from remote reservations. At Arrowhead Transit, a program was created to understand the transit needs of Minnesotans living on the state's rural North Shore.

Summary

Some valuable lessons could be applied to San Francisco, where the novelty of AVs can distract from what is truly needed: accessible and affordable transit for all residents. Mobility-as-a-service projects that address this greater need are much more crucial.

It’s possible that AV companies like Waymo are a little too focused on the "as-a-service" part of their model. (Although, in fairness, few innovations are born from altruism.) So, it’s encouraging to see organizations like SkedGo and Feonix step up and redefine the approach to solve problems for many, not just a few.

After all, there are many reasons to find oneself on public transit. Perhaps your car is in the shop. Or maybe a foolish human driver is the bane of your latest fender bender.