Drive to Succeed: Empowering Underserved Communities through Autonomous Driving Education

Autonomous vehicle (AV) technology represents the leading edge of innovation in transportation and holds immense potential to transform industries across the globe, with California at the forefront. However, access to education and technical training in this field has often been out of reach for students in underserved communities. The “Drive to Succeed” project endeavors to bridge this gap by introducing autonomous driving technology to high school students in communities where access has traditionally been limited. We propose an outreach program specifically designed to address the underrepresentation of marginalized groups in technology sectors and cultivate the next generation of engineers from diverse backgrounds. Focusing on San Luis Obispo County, California, where nearly half of K-12 students identify as Hispanic or Latino, this pilot program will offer a dynamic curriculum to stimulate interest in STEM fields. Hands-on education kits and structured, engaging lessons will cover the fundamentals of autonomous driving principles – both theoretical and practical. Students will learn technical concepts such as embedded systems, firmware programming, sensor interfaces, motion planning, control, and perception, all tailored to autonomous driving. “Drive to Succeed” aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to make meaningful contributions to the field while opening doors to exciting and rewarding career paths in engineering and technology. The “Drive to Succeed” program aligns with the College of Engineering’s commitment to broaden participation and foster a more diverse workforce. This project resonates with the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) call under the BPE program for revolutionary approaches to engineering education that emphasize inclusivity and equity as cornerstones of excellence. Our ultimate goal is to create a model program with the potential to inspire and replicate similar initiatives nationwide, helping to ensure that the technological advancements of the future reflect and benefit the full spectrum of our society.