At the Foundation for Blind Children, we solve problems facing the blind and visually impaired. We teach our students how to read braille and how to use assistive technology so they can learn along with their sighted peers in school or thrive in the workplace. We teach kids and adults how to cook, clean, and navigate their world without sight. Technology, training, and adaptation have solved many challenges for our community, but transportation independence is a difficult egg to crack. One thing you can’t teach a blind person is how to drive.
FBC and Waymo
That’s where our friends at Waymo come in. Waymo has been developing autonomous vehicles, and they have been a fixture in the Phoenix area for years now. For the visually impaired, relying on public transportation or friends and family to get around can be restrictive and time-consuming. Waymo’s self-driving taxis, on the other hand, are revolutionizing transportation by allowing for complete independence.
Why Transportation Matters
Without easy-to-use transportation solutions, everything from getting to work to going out to see friends becomes more difficult. In places that lack reliable public transportation, what should be an easy 10-minute drive to work can take over an hour. This can be limiting when a blind person looks for a job, forcing them to plan around bus routes or available carpools. We teach our students and clients how to be independent in all aspects of life, but transportation is a barrier that has been hard to overcome.
Access to autonomous Waymo taxis eliminates those barriers and makes life easier. More independence and inclusivity is all our community seeks, and Waymo is a solution to a massive challenge to those goals. Autonomous vehicles can change the transportation landscape by providing a more equitable, accessible, and safe mode of transit for the blind and visually impaired community. By embracing this technology, we are looking forward to a more inclusive and empowering future.
