University of Georgia’s Inaugural Future Mobility Living Lab Distinguished Lecture, featuring Deputy Administrator Lee White (NHTSA)

A part of the University of Georgia’s 2026 Fall Signature Lecture Series

Speaker: Lee White
Deputy Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

With more than four decades of leadership across transportation, logistics, autonomous vehicles and federal policy, White has helped shape the future of mobility from both the public and private sectors. Today, as deputy administrator of the NHTSA, he helps lead the nation’s vehicle safety agency and oversee the development of the federal framework for automated vehicles and other emerging transportation technologies. His lecture will explore how automation, artificial intelligence and emerging transportation technologies are reshaping the future of mobility. Drawing on leadership experience across both government and industry, White will examine the opportunities and challenges associated with deploying next-generation transportation systems safely, responsibly and at scale. The lecture will explore the evolving role of vehicle safety, public policy, technological innovation and cross-sector collaboration in shaping the future of transportation.

UGA Lectures are free and open to the public but registration is required.
The lecture will be followed by autonomous vehicle demonstrations and ride-alongs from 3:45 to 5:00 p.m. in UGA’s E23 parking lot.

Attendees will see UGA’s connected and automated transportation research in action, including the university’s federally funded rural autonomous vehicle project. Demonstrations may include technology that helps vehicles detect pedestrians, navigate work zones, and respond to potential hazards.