The USDOT will be participating in the SXSW Interactive Festival and Conference to be held from March 11 to 15, 2016. Each year, the SXSW Interactive Festival provides a forum to showcase and discuss emerging technologies, as well as share new ideas and creative technologies.

On Saturday, March 12, USDOT Senior Advisor to the Secretary and Deputy Assistant Secretary Mark Dowd will participate on a panel exploring the genesis, purpose, and potential of the first-of-its-kind Smart City Challenge. This competition seeks to create an innovative, fully integrated model city that uses data, technology, and creativity to shape how people and goods move in the future. The winning city will be awarded up to $40 million from the USDOT to implement bold, data-driven ideas that make transportation safer, easier, and more reliable. The winning city will also benefit from a number of partnerships including Paul G. Allen's Vulcan Inc., who has announced its intent to award up to $10 million to the challenge winner to support electric vehicle deployment and other carbon emission reduction strategies; Mobileye, who has announced that it would outfit the entire fleet of the winning city's public bus system with its Shield +TM driver-assistance safety technology; and other technology companies.

On Saturday, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx will attend the Connected Mobility Showcase at the Garage Bar, hosted by C3 Group, where he will announce the five finalists for the Smart City Challenge.

Also on Saturday, the USDOT will further the ongoing dialogue on technological advancements in transportation and evolving mobile trends by participating and hosting a session on accessible transportation technology. Panelists will discuss USDOT efforts to identify and develop transformative transportation applications, especially for individuals with disabilities. These panelists include Accessible Transportation Technologies Research Initiative (ATTRI) Program Manager Mohammed Yousuf, Bob Sheehan from the Federal Highway Administration, Mark Spain from Vinli, and Sue-Ann Ma from Benetech Labs.

On Sunday, March 13, Secretary Foxx will participate in a panel conversation discussing the Smart City Challenge. He will be joined by the five challenge finalists.

As part of the SXSW Trade Show Pitch Stage, the USDOT will showcase our network of affiliated test beds, where entrepreneurs can test leading-edge connected vehicle technologies. Check out our pitch, on Sunday, March 13, from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm.

In addition to the sessions noted above, this is the first year that the USDOT will have an exhibit booth at SXSW. The booth will offer:

• An award-winning connected vehicle animation
• Brochures and fact sheets on connected vehicle technology, the Smart City Challenge, ATTRI, and other transportation research programs
• USDOT and ITS America representatives providing updates on connected vehicles, smart cities, and accessible transportation technology.

The SXSW Festival will also feature two days of programming on connected cars, autonomous cars, cars of the future, and other next-generation transportation innovations.

Visit USDOT's web site for more details on our participation.
 
Also, check out an SXSW interview with Secretary Foxx: http://www.sxsw.com/interactive/news/2015/beyond-traffic-secretary-transportation-anthony-foxx-future-interview.