A Quiet Morning, An Unusual Sight

It's a crisp Saturday morning in Madison, and I'm walking to my favorite coffee shop on University Avenue. The streets are quiet—just a few joggers, some students heading to the library, and the usual weekend calm. Then I see it: a car rolling slowly down the street, its sensors spinning gently on the roof, but no one behind the wheel.

For most of us, cars have always meant having someone at the wheel. Family road trips with mom or dad driving, learning to parallel park, and the freedom of a first driver's license. Driving has been about control, about being in charge. But here, in this moment, I'm watching a vehicle navigate on its own, making decisions, stopping at crosswalks, turning corners, all without a human driver. And I can't help but wonder: Would I feel safe crossing the street in front of that car?

That question has become the heart of my research.

Dr. Long's fellowship is under the supervision of Dr. Xiaopeng Li at UW-Madison's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.