New Technologies and Automakers Have the Potential to Eliminate Transportation as a Major Factor Contributing to Health Disparities, and Provide Additional Benefits

Abstract

Transportation as a major barrier to obtaining health care is well documented in literature. It is a major contributing factor to health disparities in urban and rural areas in the United States. A lack of transportation to and from a doctor’s office or other ancillary health care services worsened the medical conditions of individuals over time. The cost to society by inefficient use and distribution of health resources to promote the general wellbeing of communities is enormous. New technologies in the automobile industry have the potential to eliminate transportation as a barrier to receiving health care services regardless of a person’s socioeconomic status. Automotive technologies including autonomous, driverless and semiautonomous vehicles have the potential to improve how patients get to the doctor to receive health care services more efficiently and timely. However, government, especially public health, must play a critical role at this stage of these new technologies by being at the table to provide guidance on how the new technologies should benefit population and community health.