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ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- This week, the American Council of the Blind (ACB) hosted nearly 200 members at its annual D.C. Leadership Conference, where attendees participated in educational sessions, engaged with keynote speakers from the disability community, and met with members of Congress on Capitol Hill.The conference focused on advancing key legislative priorities to promote independence and improve the quality of life for people who are blind or have low vision. ACB and its membership call on Congress to:Support and pass the Medical Device Nonvisual Accessibility Act to ensure that home-use medical devices with digital interfaces are accessible to individuals who are blind or have low vision;to ensure that home-use medical devices with digital interfaces are accessible to individuals who are blind or have low vision; Support and pass the Websites and Software Applications Accessibility Act to create enforcement standards that clearly state websites, applications, and online services must be accessible to people with disabilities;to create enforcement standards that clearly state websites, applications, and online services must be accessible to people with disabilities; Update existing requirements for accessible media, video user interfaces, and video conferencing services in the Communications, Video, and Technology Accessibility Act."These legislative priorities are essential to ensuring that people who are blind or have low vision can fully participate in all aspects of life," said ACB Executive Director Scott Thornhill. "ACB and its members are calling on Congress to take action and create a more inclusive society for all."The conference also featured dynamic keynote presentations and panel discussions with leaders from the disability rights community and government. These sessions highlighted the ongoing challenges and opportunities in expanding accessibility and equal access.ACB's 2025 D.C. Leadership Conference was made possible by the generous support of its sponsors and supporters, including:ACB remains committed to working with lawmakers, industry leaders, and the broader disability community to create a more accessible and inclusive future.About the American Council of the BlindThe American Council of the Blind (ACB) is a national member-driven organization representing Americans who are blind and visually impaired

Uber said Wednesday (March 5) that it is now offering rides in autonomous vehicles in Austin, Texas, and will later do the same in Atlanta.Riders who opt in for this offering on the Uber app in Austin could be matched with an autonomous vehicle from Waymo, Uber said in a Wednesday press release.“With Waymo’s technology and Uber’s proven platform, we’re excited to introduce our customers to a future of transportation that is increasingly electric and autonomous,” Uber said in the release.Riders who request an UberX, Uber Green, Comfort or Comfort Electric could be matched with one of Waymo’s fully autonomous Jaguar I-PACE vehicles, according to the release.Before the vehicle is sent to pick them up, riders will have the option to accept the autonomous vehicle or request a ride with a driver, the release said.When a Waymo vehicle arrives, riders can use the Uber app to unlock the vehicle, open the trunk and start the trip, per the release. They will be able to access customer service at any time through the app or inside the vehicle.The autonomous vehicle rides will cover 37 square miles in Austin, according to the release. The companies plan to expand this range in the future.“Atlanta is up next,” the release said. “Employees are already taking fully autonomous trips with Waymo in the city, a key step as we prepare to offer Waymo rides to the public there — only on Uber.”It was reported in January that Uber and rival ridesharing company Lyft were both reinvesting in driverless cars after having abandoned the technology earlier.The Jan. 6 Wall Street Journal report said that both companies were responding to signs that driverless technology could be about to blossom outside of a handful of “experimental markets.”It was also reported in January that Waymo plans to test its vehicles — with a driver behind the wheel — in 10 new cities in 2025 so that it can see how its self-driving vehicles adapt to the traffic patterns, road design, weather conditions and other factors in different cities.In Waymo’s core markets of San Francisco, Phoenix and Los Angeles, the vehicles have already driven millions of miles