Have you ever thought about being the passenger in an autonomous vehicle? Just sit back and let the car take the wheel? While there are some cars with features that handle steering and lane changes, to date, all fully commercial vehicles sold still require a human to remain attentive in the driver’s seat. It is currently not legal for any vehicle in New Jersey to be fully controlled by a computer. But that may change.
AVs IN NEW JERSEY?
A bill to establish an autonomous vehicle (AV) pilot program was introduced to the NJ Legislature by Senators Andrew Zwicker (NJ-16) and Gordon Johnson (NJ-37) in late October. It unanimously passed through the Senate Transportation Committee with amendments, and the sponsors are currently working with stakeholders to address any concerns before it is brought before the full Senate. The NJ bill would authorize a five-year program allowing registered testers (manufacturers, universities, or fleet, automotive or technology providers) in both closed testing locations as well as on the open road. The NJ Motor Vehicle Commission would approve participation, and the pilot would be overseen by a task force.
NJ would join 35 states which already have autonomous vehicle legislation of some sort.
“Autonomous vehicles have been introduced in other states like California, Arizona, and Nevada with great success. The industry is growing rapidly, and it’s important for New Jersey to be proactive about innovation – especially if, like AVs, it’s innovation that can change the lives of everyday New Jerseyans,” explains Sen. Zwicker.
The first AV legislation dates back to 2011, when Nevada approved testing and then licensing in the same year. In other states, the laws vary from the creation of task forces to research the vehicles, to allowing pilot programs with travel on public roads. There is no state yet that allows fully automated vehicles to be sold commercially and used without restriction.
Arizona was the first to allow Waymo vehicles to travel fully autonomously around the Phoenix area as robo-taxis, with no human behind the wheel. Waymo now operates in San Francisco and Los Angeles as well, though they remain limited experiments. Uber, Aurora and Cruise self-driving cars are now also in various testing phases across the country.
With five levels of defined automation by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), most states are still hovering around Level 2, where there may be some assistance with steering or braking, but the driver is still fully responsible. Therefore, no fully automated cars are commercially available to the general public to purchase and use. But technology is advancing every day, and New Jersey wants to take advantage of it.
“Properly implemented, AVs can reduce traffic accidents and fatalities and can make transportation by car accessible to the visually impaired, physically disabled, elderly, or anyone else that cannot drive themselves,” Zwicker shared. “With an automated vehicle, these people would be able to get to school, work, doctors’ appointments, or to see friends and family. AVs could restore that autonomy and mobility to so many that feel trapped in their homes or have transportation needs that public transit isn’t able to meet.”
HEIGHTENED SAFETY
Though nationally the trend was down, NHTSA data indicates 695 people died in fatal crashes in New Jersey last year – a 14% increase over 2023. Could this number improve if computers were in control rather than humans? A fully automated system is programmed to follow all driving parameters, eliminating the variables that humans could bring such as drunk or drugged driving, distracted driving and falling asleep.
“A recent safety study found that autonomous cars were involved in 80% fewer injury-causing traffic accidents than human-operated counterparts on the same roads. Considering that traffic accidents are the second leading cause of death for children and young adults in the US, an 80% reduction in injury-causing accidents carries huge implications for public health,” Zwicker details. “In a NY Times Op-ed, neurosurgeon Jonathan Slotkin argued that even if only 30% of cars on the road were AVs, it could prevent 40% of the traffic accidents we see today. Fewer accidents mean fewer fatalities, fewer hospitalizations, less traffic, and less strain on local police departments.”
With all the potential positives, authorities remain concerned that AVs lack instinct for the unexpected and therefore are still not yet deemed safe enough for unrestricted commercial use.
INCREASED TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS
As Sen. Zwicker suggests, autonomous vehicles provide options never before available to those with disabilities that prevent them from being able to drive themselves. It has been proposed that travel opportunities could increase as much as 14% with the addition of AVs, as public transportation is useful but has many limitations.
One of the pilot programs organized with Waymo in Phoenix was for a “Mobility-on-Demand” program. The users grew increasingly comfortable over the course of the pilot program, with 59% taking more trips than they were with their traditional RideChoice program. 93% of users wanted to see the autonomous rides continue.
A study in Australia that came out in October reveals what is needed to get AVs to a level that would be the most helpful for those with disabilities. For example, it details specific design preferences. Would a more universal design make them more accessible? It also found that better education (particularly for the elderly) with regards to awareness, familiarity, and usability could be greatly beneficial.
CHANGES ON TRAFFIC FLOW
If you’ve ever driven around Princeton or down Route 1 at rush hour, you may be wondering if there are benefits for autonomous vehicles on improved traffic flow. It is hard to fully know the answer without having our roads filled with them, but research has shown there is a strong possibility for improvement. One 2023 study found that roadways containing some autonomous vehicles as well as cars with human drivers will benefit from an increase in traffic flow efficiency and at faster speeds.
While there appears to be pronounced improvements on highways where there are fewer interruptions to travel, in mixed traffic conditions the jury is still out. Some studies find things move better while others see flow suffering.
THE FUTURE IN OUR AREA
If and until legislation is passed and signed by the governor, autonomous vehicles are still barred from New Jersey roadways. Sen. Zwicker and others feel it is past time for the state to get in on the future and potential benefits it could bring.
“AVs can become a sustainable, accessible, and safe method of transportation for those who cannot or choose not to drive themselves. One day AVs will be as normal to see out on the road as a human-operated vehicle. People with disabilities that prevent them from driving will be able to travel freely and independently, injuries and deaths from traffic accidents will plummet, and daily commutes will be smoother, faster, and traffic-free.”
Last year, Pennsylvania adopted guidelines allowing for highly automated vehicles to be operated by certified users without a safety driver. This has paved the way for a Waymo pilot of robo-taxis that just started rolling out in Philadelphia. It is still in the testing phases, but hopefully in the not-too-distant future you will be able to hail a Waymo off the street.
Lisa Jacknow spent years working in national and local news in and around New York City before moving to Princeton. Working as both a TV producer and news reporter, Lisa came to this area to focus on the local news of Mercer County at WZBN-TV. In recent years, she got immersed in the Princeton community by serving leadership roles at local schools in addition to volunteering for other local non-profits. In her free time, Lisa loves to spend time with her family, play tennis, sing and play the piano. A graduate of the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, Lisa was raised just north of Boston, Massachusetts but has lived in the tri-state area since college. She is excited to be Editor and head writer for Princeton Perspectives!
Generative AI (artificial intelligence) is not just the wave of the future, it is the wave of today. You hear about its uses in every sector of life. Government, which ideally should aim for peak efficiency, is using AI at very different levels. The state has taken initiative to utilize it, offering increasing opportunities for agencies to incorporate it into what they do. County and municipal governments, though dabbling, still seem to have a ways to go.
Princeton, for example, has barely integrated any uses of artificial intelligence into its operations and systems. The police department has explored opportunities but thus far has not found the tools available to be beneficial, especially with the additional loopholes of security protection needed for much of what they do. Ewing similarly has not shifted any core functions to AI, attempting some basic creative tasks at best, but often finding the human element is still very much essential. This seems to be the norm across New Jersey municipal governments.
Mt. Arlington is one of those towns jumping in, having already integrated an AI chatbot into its 
Mercer County is interested, but adoption is going slowly. The capital county has begun to utilize a system called CommsCoach QA, to assist with emergency communications. As calls come in via radio or phone, they are immediately evaluated by AI. Once flagged by the system, they are further reviewed by a human, but the technology enables the team to evaluate the quality of response, identify and reinforce the strengths, document performance trends and provide actionable feedback.
At the state level, there is still room to utilize its full potential, but the commitment and efforts are much further along. The New Jersey Artificial Intelligence Task Force was created in October 2023 soon followed by plans for the 
The winds are blowing; the air has turned crisp and Christmas music has even started blasting through intercom systems of your favorite stores. There’s no denying Thanksgiving is approaching. To help you shift into the season, read the November issue of Princeton Perspectives, 
Most relate Thanksgiving to the first known holiday feast of the Pilgrims in Plymouth, MA in 1621. Their three-day harvest event was celebrated along with members of the Wampanoag tribe. While this feast was notable, tribes all around had been honoring their crops for years before Pilgrims made it famous – including native tribes right here in New Jersey. In fact, there is a lot about Thanksgiving that began in the Garden State.
But the tradition of pigskin and turkey-day was not lost altogether. One annual meet-up began locally in Hamilton in 1959, 
Another procession of sorts in the streets that has become synonymous with Thanksgiving is the Turkey Trot. The first known in Mercer County that continues today was the 
Some Turkey Trots bring together smaller communities and for nearly 20 years, Princeton’s 
Did you sign up? Pick up your bib number? Plan your warm, but breathable, attire? Next week, thousands will gather across Mercer County to take part in a Turkey Trot. Are you ready?
“I had recently moved from Kentucky, where I loved participating in a Thanksgiving morning run each year. When I couldn’t find a similar event in the Princeton area, I thought it might be a great way to bring people together—to build a little community spirit on Thanksgiving morning and do something good for others at the same time,” Rev. Jeanes recalls. “None of us could have imagined how quickly the Turkey Trot would grow, capturing the energy and enthusiasm of the wider Princeton community. The outpouring of support—from local runners, sponsors, and neighbors—has been both humbling and inspiring.”
“It’s become a tradition for a lot of families, which is fun to see,” explains Sarah Kempson, a volunteer with the Mercer County Turkey Trot Race Team. “It’s such great energy, so much fun. Families all gather in the picnic area before the start of the race, and at the end of the race. People dress up in fun festive costumes. Teams that sign up are creative and fun. Howard Alter is DJ of the race every year and Steve Shueh, another managing partner, wears a turkey costume and goes along the race and cheers people on.”
What started as a small fundraiser has truly developed into a community gathering with a run/walk component welcoming grandparents, children and everyone in between. With nearly 1,000 runners last year, it truly was a reunion. At the end of the race each year, everyone from Hopewell Wrestling – youth through alumni – gather for a group photograph.
“What is difficult to put into words is the energy that is so palpable onsite in both the pre- and post-race gathering of runners and volunteers,” says Bill Hackett, Co-Director of Trinity Turkey Trot. “It is not just a race. It is an event that changes lives – for the participants and those who benefit from the important service provided by our supported charities.”
Corporate sponsorships enable race proceeds to be donated. The more the races grow, the more they can provide. Solidifying these sponsors, arranging runner sign-ups, handing out bid numbers, coordinating with local police to secure the routes and more are often done by volunteers who have other day jobs. But, for many, it is a burden worth taking on.
“Our Turkey Trot was founded primarily as a means to fund the needs of our wrestling community. An ancillary social benefit grew naturally from that. Connecting the different eras of our wrestling community, and our township, all together on the same day, has become a treasured asset and expectation of our race.”
As we do every October, Princeton Perspectives is providing you with information about every candidate on the ballot to help you vote informed in the upcoming General Election. There is a lot at stake, as a new governor is to be chosen, the entire Assembly is up for grabs, and many county and local leadership positions are on the table.
Are you inclined to 
If you prefer to vote in person, what are your options? This year, in-person early voting begins on Saturday, October 25, 2025, and is available through Sunday, November 2, 2025. Polls will be open Monday–Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Sunday from 10:00 a.m.to 6:00 p.m.
Susan Kanter is running for her third term on the Board of Education, looking forward to what it will bring.
Our current approach to affordable housing is broken. Of course, we need affordable living options in New Jersey, but mandated housing construction in every municipality has resulted in residential overdevelopment in communities that have limited infrastructure, no mass transit, and very few, if any, low-to-moderate income job opportunities.
The current model is also gobbling up open space, chasing wildlife from its habitat, increasing pollution from more idling cars on already congested roads, leading to more local flooding from stormwater management issues, and driving up property taxes due to endless legal fees and additional local services.
That's why I support a regional approach that would allow for more local input, with an approach focused on driving population growth to transit hubs and urban centers, where self-sustaining local economies are desperately needed - including regional contribution agreements (i.e., RCAs) and quotas based on state Department of Labor statistics. The extent to which PILOTS fit into that approach would be a matter for local stakeholders to determine in the best interest of their community. I believe that approach must come via a real legislative solution - not a judge - and, if need be, a constitutional amendment.
Local infrastructure issues, like Princeton faces, are why I support impact fees on new development to ensure that when infrastructure improvements are necessitated by the development, the developer pays for it, not already overburdened taxpayers. 
I support affordable housing, but I do not support state mandates, such as the PILOT agreement to negotiate with developers to build affordable housing. I do not support using tax dollars to achieve affordable housing. I just want people to have access to affordable housing, without having the taxpayers foot the bill. I support the building of smaller houses with no impact fees (taxes on smaller houses). I support working with the local governments to change the zoning laws to allow tiny homes and RVs, so that people can have affordable housing. I do believe that the presence of affordable housing would reduce the number of people leaving New Jersey, as well as homelessness. Abandoned residential and commercial buildings could be used to house the homeless. 
The SWP campaign is not centered on a better set of proposals for how to reform capitalism it is to change which class rules. No agreements including the PILOT agreement, other laws, or policies under the capitalist profit system can solve the housing crisis and homelessness. High rents and housing shortages are no accident. Landlords put a premium on building luxury apartments — which rake in more profits — rather than affordable decent housing that workers need. Only through the struggle to end the profit system can that be changed. Workers need to fight for higher wages and a massive government-funded public works program to build affordable housing and provide jobs for those who need them. Cost-of-living adjustments in all wage, pensions and benefit contracts so that workers are protected from rising prices. 
I am committed to lowering housing costs and working with our towns to expand housing opportunities that families, seniors, veterans, and young people can actually afford. PILOTs are an important tool for towns to meet the specific needs of their communities and to help their residents afford a home there. As governor, I will work collaboratively with municipalities to help lower housing costs by crafting further incentives and tools for towns to employ and making resources available to support municipal housing programs and projects.
As governor, I will expand existing first-generation and first-time homebuyer programs to cover a larger share of homebuyers’ down payments, which will expand access to homeownership and generational wealth to more families. Making housing more affordable in our state also includes working to expand access to starter homes and accessory dwelling units that are less expensive for families and address the “missing middle.” I will work collaboratively with local governments that seek to redevelop underused and neglected properties, and to create transit-oriented development, which will expand access to affordable housing options and generate local property tax revenues.
State government also needs to improve coordination and consistency across all state departments to streamline the state permitting process for housing. This will reduce construction delays and homebuilding costs, which will lower the cost of homes for working families.
I also will work with municipalities to identify ways that we can fairly and effectively address infrastructure impacts from new housing construction, such as sewer and water systems and roadways, which create additional local burdens.
I’ll crack down on predatory investors, negligent landlords, and deceptive lenders who illegally jack up prices, collude to rig rents above market levels, don’t take care of their buildings, and discriminate in the home mortgage and rental markets.
A critical way for the state to support more housing options that are affordable for families is by ending diversions from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. This fund helps municipalities expand housing options that are affordable for families and lower costs in a way that works for their community, but the state largely uses it for other purposes right now. I’m committed to ending these diversions as governor.
I will also work with municipalities to make sure our families have access to a world-class education at the same time as they can afford to put a roof over their heads — families should not be forced to pick between the two. Central to this commitment is fully funding our schools at the state level. As governor, I will fully fund, stabilize, and modernize our school funding formula so our kids have access to programs that we know work, like high-impact tutoring and mental health services.