Designing inclusive driverless tech: Safety for deaf and hard of hearing road users
Original framing: “How driverless vehicles can be made safer for deaf and hard of hearing people” — The Conversation - Global
The original framing omits the role of deaf and hard of hearing communities in co-designing solutions, as well as historical precedents in inclusive design from disability rights movements. It also fails to address the structural barriers in urban planning and transportation policy that exclude non-hearing individuals from the outset.
Low structural omission detected in mainstream coverage.
This narrative is produced by academic researchers and tech developers, primarily for policymakers and automotive companies. It reinforces the dominant technocratic paradigm that views accessibility as a niche problem to be solved rather than a fundamental human right. The framing obscures the power dynamics in tech development, where marginalized voices are often excluded from the design process.
In many non-Western cultures, communication is inherently multimodal, relying on gestures, visual signals, and tactile cues. These cultural practices offer valuable models for designing driverless vehicles that are accessible to a wide range of users.
The design of driverless vehicles must move beyond a narrow focus on technical fixes and embrace a systemic approach that includes marginalized voices from the start.