A Better Road Forward Campaign Launches to Champion Safer Streets and Autonomous Vehicle Innovation Across New York

NEW YORK, Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, A Better Road Forward, a new 501(C)(4) advocacy coalition, launched its campaign to champion fully autonomous passenger vehicle technology in the State of New York.

A Better Road Forward is a statewide coalition of New Yorkers who believe fully autonomous passenger vehicles, when scaled responsibly, will make our streets safer, our transportation networks more sustainable, our neighborhoods easier to get around, and our communities more connected.

Though fully autonomous passenger vehicles are currently unable to operate on New York streets, the state Department of Motor Vehicles has overseen an AV testing program since 2017. Most recently, AV testing permits have been awarded to operators who successfully tested in communities like Buffalo and New York City.

Said Basil Seggos, Chair of the ABRF Advisory Board & Former Commissioner of the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, "This campaign is about bringing New Yorkers into the conversation about the future of autonomous passenger vehicles on our streets. As this technology continues to grow and communities across the country explore its benefits, and its potential, New York has a chance to seize the moment on innovation and sustainability. A Better Road Forward is here to be an educational platform for community engagement, helping New Yorkers understand the opportunities this technology presents."

The full ABRF Advisory Board includes representatives from across NYS:

• Basil Seggos of Albany, Partner, Foley Hoag LLP and former Commissioner of NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
• Christine Quinn of NYC, President and CEO of Win (formerly Women in Need)
• Rev. Mark E. Blue of Buffalo, President of the Buffalo Branch of the NAACP
• Kenny Burgos of NYC, CEO of the NY Apartment Association & former Assembly Member who championed AV-authorization in the State Legislature
• Mark Schroeder of Buffalo, former Commissioner of the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles
• Julie Samuels of NYC, Executive Director of Tech:NYC

ABRF will leverage its members' statewide presence to host community events to educate New Yorkers about autonomous vehicle technology. The coalition's website will also serve as a testimonial hub where New Yorkers can share their experiences with AVs in other cities, and how it could benefit their communities. Additionally, the coalition will use public polling and paid media to support its efforts.

Said Rev. Mark E. Blue, President of the Buffalo Branch of the NAACP, "The promise of autonomous vehicles to make our streets safer and lift up our neighborhoods deserves serious attention in New York. Too often, it is communities of color across the state – including places like Buffalo and Western New York – that bear the burden of transportation deserts and unequal access to safe, reliable public transportation." Continued Rev. Blue, who also sits on the Board of Erie County Medical Center, "As New Yorkers, we should meaningfully explore the potential of autonomous vehicles as part of the solution to expanding transportation access, especially for those who rely on paratransit services."

Said Christine Quinn, President and CEO of Win (formerly Women in Need), "For too many New Yorkers, safe and reliable ways to get around still depend on where you live. The women and families I work with know that better than anyone -- a late shift, a subway that doesn't come, a stretch of street you don't want to walk alone at night. The potential for AVs to better connect our neighborhoods, improve mobility for New Yorkers who can't drive themselves, and make our streets measurably safer is too great to ignore."

Said Kenny Burgos, CEO of the NY Apartment Association & former Assembly Member who championed AV-authorization in the State Legislature, "I first introduced AV legislation in the Assembly three years ago because I believe this technology can not only help make our streets dramatically safer, but give New Yorkers better access to transit in the neighborhoods that need it most. We started a conversation back then, but there's still so much New Yorkers don't know about AVs, and that's exactly the gap A Better Road Forward is going to close."

Said Mark Schroeder, former Commissioner of the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles, "Over nearly a decade at the helm of the NYS DMV, I saw firsthand just how steep the toll of our street safety crisis can be. I've also seen how new technologies, from autonomous vehicles to speed cameras can make our streets safer across the board. There's never been a more critical time to double down on advancing every tool we have to make New York's roads as safe as they can be."

"Autonomous vehicles have moved well beyond the theoretical. They have the potential to make streets safer, close gaps in our transportation system and give more New Yorkers greater independence," said Julie Samuels, President and CEO, Tech:NYC. "Other states and cities across the country have worked to proactively regulate this technology and take advantage of its benefits. New York can't afford to fall behind. We should be leading the nation in championing technology that not only makes streets safer, but fills in the gaps our current transit system has left behind."

A Better Road Forward is a registered 501(C)(4) Advocacy organization committed to supporting efforts in Albany to authorize the responsible introduction of autonomous passenger vehicles in the State of New York.

CONTACT: [email protected]

SOURCE A Better Road Forward