Lead or Follow? Keeping Massachusetts Competitive in Mobility Innovation
Ensuring MA Leads as Autonomy and New Mobility Technologies Advance
As part of its ongoing Competitiveness Conversation Series, the Massachusetts Competitive Partnership (MACP), in partnership with the Mass Mobility Hub, convened policymakers, industry leaders, researchers, and innovators to examine how Massachusetts can remain competitive in mobility innovation as autonomy and emerging technologies move from research into real-world deployment.
The program opened with a presentation from John Moavenzadeh, Director of the MIT Mobility Initiative, who outlined the rapidly evolving national and global landscape for autonomous mobility. He highlighted expanding deployment across multiple U.S. states, increasing international competition, and the absence of a cohesive federal regulatory framework—underscoring the urgency for states like Massachusetts to define their role in shaping the future of these technologies.
Massachusetts Secretary of Economic Development Eric Paley moderated a panel discussion featuring Jane Lappin (Blue Door Strategy & Research), Karl Iagnemma (Vecna Robotics), and Sidney McLaurin (Fleet Robotics). The panel explored the safety, workforce, regulatory, and commercialization considerations associated with autonomy, as well as the broader ecosystem required to support innovation across road, marine, logistics, robotics, and defense applications.
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Speakers emphasized that while Massachusetts has long been a global leader in research, robotics, AI, and advanced manufacturing, maintaining that leadership will require proactive coordination across government, industry, and academia. The discussion reinforced a central theme: autonomy is not a question of whether it will arrive, but how—and whether Massachusetts will help shape its deployment or follow decisions made elsewhere.​
​The Mass Mobility Hub will continue to serve as a central forum for advancing dialogue, coordination, and action around autonomous vehicles and emerging mobility technologies.
