Driving the Future: DoT's Empathy and Innovation Showcase at AASHTO

Jeff Rayner
May 16
4 min read

Updated: May 20

This year’s AASHTO conference brought together the nation’s top transportation leaders—and Drivers of Tomorrow (DoT) was proud to be part of the conversation, spotlighting the power of immersive learning to shape the future of mobility, empathy, and the connection between drivers and road users.

A panoramic view of the "Empathy Intersection" exhibit at AASHTO - before opening

At the heart of our presence was a trio of hands-on experiences designed to build awareness, empathy, and real-world readiness for the next generation of transportation professionals:

🧠 Mobile Quiz & Augmented Reality Learning
🛞 VR & MR Training: Wheel Well & Beyond
🚌 Driver Simulator Empathy Challenge

Let's take a deeper look into each:

🧠 AR Training & Knowledge Quiz

Visitors started with a variety of augmented reality experiences using their phones or our supplied iPads.

A mixed reality view of the virtual cabin in the actual room - viewed from an iPad or phone or VR headset.

Their experience was then followed by an interactive quiz testing their understanding of transit safety, vehicle components, and workforce challenges. More than just trivia, the quiz served as a gateway into deeper questions around mobility, inclusion, and innovation. It's worth noting that very few participants were bus operators, and so it was an eye opening experience as they started to understand how road rules and driving complexities affect buses in different ways to cars.

Real buses weren't allowed on the 6th floor ballroom, so we brought a virtual one via augmented reality.

A holographic bus showing key features like an animated accessibility ramp - available on ipads, phones, and virtual reality

🛞 VR Reality: Wheel Well & Beyond

Next, attendees stepped into the shoes of a pre-trip inspection or a vehicle maintenance technician with our Virtual Bus Tour and VR Wheel Well experiences.

The mixed reality view of the virtual wheel well training - observed through a VR headset. In this experiences hands-on users assemble the components of the wheel well. A fast, efficient, and safe version of the real world training that is nearly impossible - let alone costly, time exhaustive, and dangerous.

In both experiences, users observed an extended reality training module that lets users explore the details of an electric bus like never before, identify hidden components, and practice safe inspection techniques - all in a fully immersive 3D environment. The response was clear: hands-on VR turns abstract learning into lasting understanding... and learning for a Class-B license is a lot harder than the things you need for your typical driver permit.

A view from inside the virtual bus, looking at a conference attendee who can only imagine what the user is experiencing!

🚌 Driver Empathy Challenge

The crowd favorite was our Driver Empathy Challenge, a reimagined training simulator that lets anyone, whether a senior leader, policymaker, engineer, or curious conference-goer—step behind the wheel of a full-sized bus using familiar car controls.

Queues start to accumulate, as participants line up to test their driving skills, and compare to friends and colleagues. During the 3 day event, we had executives, department heads, training managers, safety officers, and students. Can you guess who scored best? And worst?

Participants navigated five real-world driving zones while learning firsthand about wide turns, blind spots, and the intense focus needed to drive defensively in a large vehicle.

Concentration was key to a good set of scores. Many succeeded, many didn't... but everyone walked away knowing a little more than before they entered the empathy simulator.

The addition of event sponsors was a nice touch that was very well received.

Cheryl from HNTB gets excited to see that she drove past her company's logo on a billboard for all to see.

It was fun, eye-opening, and as one participant mentioned "this is a powerful reminder of the skill and responsibility required of professional bus drivers".

A user doubles up on the empathy experience, but using impairment goggles with the driving simulator.

Drivers were assessed on their ability to drive carefully, obey the rules of the road, maneuver the vehicle safely, and limit the damage caused!

A DoT member puts down the gauntlet that they are a better driver than a colleague, who takes up the challenge with a smile. Can you guess who won?

This wasn't just a single player event, by aligning two simulators side-by-side, a healthy competitive side was observed, one that brought many head-to-head competitors applying their skills (and re-applying their skills) in an attempt to improve their score - which incidentally increased their driver knowledge, core skills, and road awareness.

Members of the CT DoT team gather around Julio, and in disbelief see his efforts place him in the top score spot for driving accuracy, zero bus damage, and excellent defensive driving skills. This wasn't his first attempt, and it wouldn't be his last... his teammates couldn't wait to attempt to regain the top spot!

Why It Mattered

Our goal at DoT is simple: to bridge the gap between emerging technologies and the people who operate, maintain, and design our transportation systems. At AASHTO, we showed how immersive tools and empathy-driven design can build not just better training, but better understanding across sectors, job roles, and agencies.

By the end of the event, hundreds had interacted with our tools, and many more left with a deeper respect for the challenges—and opportunities—ahead in the evolving transportation workforce.

Some of the feedback on the Reflections board after day 2 of 3.

Thank you to CTDOT (particularly Katie) and the AASHTO team for creating space for innovation and dialogue. We’re energized by the response and excited to keep collaborating with state DOTs, transit agencies, and workforce leaders to drive the future of mobility.