FRESNO, Calif. (FOX26) — Students and community members at Fresno State got an up-close look at the future of transportation during a special event featuring Tesla’s self-driving vehicles.
The Fresno State Transportation Institute partnered with Tesla to host an educational showcase highlighting advancements in autonomous vehicle technology. The event allowed participants to explore three of Tesla’s latest models — the Cybertruck, Model S, and Model X — and experience a ride in a supervised self-driving car.
“This is an event that our transportation institute is collaborating with Tesla and offering it for the students and the public,” said Dr. Aly Tawfik, professor of transportation systems engineering and director of the Fresno State Transportation Institute.
Tawfik says the goal is to educate students and the community about the rapid changes coming to the transportation industry and how self-driving technology could reshape daily life.
“Every time humans invented a new transportation technology, the world changed,” Tawfik said. “Now we’re witnessing one of these moments in history where the world is going to change — and that’s because of self-driving vehicles.”
The professor emphasized that while autonomous driving is still developing, Tesla’s supervised system is currently the only commercially available version on the market. He added that it’s already proving to be safer than human drivers.
“They don’t get DUIs, they don’t break the law, they don’t speed,” Tawfik said. “They’re always paying attention, and their reaction times are much faster.”
But with progress also comes challenges. Tawfik says the transition to fully autonomous vehicles will likely reshape entire industries — including small, family-owned businesses that rely on car ownership.
“When vehicles are completely autonomous, most people will not choose to own vehicles,” he explained. “They’ll ride autonomous taxis because they’re going to be extremely less expensive — almost free. That means gas stations, paint shops, and body shops could be at risk.”
Through events like this, the Transportation Institute aims to prepare the Central Valley community for the technological and economic shifts ahead.
“It’s our job to educate our community that this is happening and that we need to start preparing for it,” Tawfik said. “Lots of people can either get an advantage and move to the forefront of technology — or if we don’t, lots of people can suffer.”
The event also aimed to inspire Fresno State students to pursue careers in engineering, artificial intelligence, and transportation systems as the industry continues to evolve.
“We want our students to see that technology, AI, and engineering are all working together now in this exciting moment in time,” Tawfik said. “We’re inventing the next mode of transportation — one that’s going to affect everybody’s life.”