The introduction of new, transformative technologies into societies has the potential to change nearly all aspects of contemporary life. Existing literature has focused on the presumed benefits that this technology will have for communities using data from community surveys, simulated models, and small pilot programs. However, there is little written about how a large-scale disruption, such as a pandemic, may slow down or accelerate the development of new technology. This dissertation explores how a pandemic influences the speed of the deployment of new technology and the decision-making associated with those processes. Phase one of this research explores how this pandemic impacted technology deployment using key stakeholder interviews completed with individuals associated with the development process of NAIAS 2020 autonomous shuttles. Phase two of this research used the interview data to create a survey tool for a Delphi Study to gain consensus among international autonomous vehicle experts using surveys to determine the extent to which the pandemic response policies benefitted or hindered the technology development process. The findings of the dissertation indicate that the pandemic hindered technology development, however, the development process is long-term, and this topic should be revisited in the coming decade. The legacies of this event will provide guidance that will shape policy formation for managing the impacts of large-scale disruptions.
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