A Ghanaian researcher at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Dr Emmanuel Addai, has called for a globally inclusive approach to the development and deployment of self-driving cars, with a particular emphasis on accessibility for people with disabilities.

Delivering a presentation at the AMS Spring Western Meeting 2025, Dr Addai unveiled a comprehensive mathematical model that integrates user interaction, accessibility adoption, vehicle dynamics, control systems, and safety redundancies to evaluate how self-driving vehicles (AVs) can be equitably designed and adopted across different communities.

“The future of autonomous transportation must be inclusive by design. Our model evaluates not just the technical performance of self-driving cars, but how policy, public awareness, and AI ethics impact adoption rates among vulnerable populations,” he noted.

He explained that the study employed advanced socio-computational modeling and Latin Hypercube Sampling–Partial Rank Correlation Coefficient (LHS-PRCC) techniques to conduct sensitivity analyses. It also included rigorous mathematical validation through existence-uniqueness and stability analyses.

Additionally, simulations from the model demonstrated how targeted interventions, such as accessible infrastructure policies, inclusive AI training data, and community engagement, can significantly enhance adoption rates among persons with disabilities.

Dr Addai's work provides data-driven insights for urban planners, policymakers, and AV manufacturers.

He advocates for cross-sector collaboration to ensure that the benefits of AI and autonomous mobility are distributed equitably across populations, especially in regions like sub-Saharan Africa, where disability-friendly infrastructure remains underdeveloped.

“This is not just about technology. It is about dignity, opportunity, and the right of every person, including persons with disabilities, to benefit from AI-driven mobility,” he emphasised.

His co-author, Ama Kyeremaa Preko, a mathematics educator based in Oregon, added that the model offers scalable implications for policy and curriculum design, particularly in STEM education for underrepresented communities.

Dr Addai is therefore encouraging African governments, especially Ghana, to invest in inclusive AI and transportation models that align with global standards.