John Niles has a deep expertise in public policy across all levels of U.S. government, with a focus on transportation and telecommunications. He specializes in advancing policy frameworks that support the deployment of road vehicle automation telematics—networked systems enabling real-time data exchange among vehicles, infrastructure, and data centers. His work emphasizes the role of telematics in enhancing fleet operations, safety, and traffic efficiency through technologies like ADAS, ADS, and V2X. John is a seasoned public speaker and facilitator, known for translating complex technical concepts into actionable strategies for policymakers and industry leaders. He is the co-author of the 2nd edition public policy textbook The End of Driving: Automated Cars, Sharing vs Owning, and the Future of Mobility (Elsevier, 2025)

The Pop in your Job:
John understands from research that personal, motorized mobility for unwalkable trips provides massive social and economic benefits from the resulting copresence of people actually -- not virtually -- in the same room. In-person copresence has many benefits not available with telecommuting and other virtual meeting formats. I am motivated in my work to develop cost-effective improvements in small vehicle public transit needed to make mobility more widely available wherever roads have been built.

Global Telematics is an independent Seattle-based management consultancy focused on public policy research and development, information systems analysis, technology assessment, and program design for businesses, universities, government agencies, associations, and civic consortia. The firm is focused on creative, sustainable, cost-effective, technology-based solutions for public and private transportation supported with telematics applications. Global Telematics began operations in 1986. Projects over the decades of operations since have encompassed research, analysis, design, planning, and implementation of improvement strategies for public and private interests in transportation, telecommunications, and economic development – particularly where these topics intersect. Global Telematics projects have been funded by state universities in California and Washington State, the U.S. Departments of Transportation, Energy, and Defense, and the State Governments of California, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Also by U.S. metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), overseas government transportation departments, law firms, think tanks, civic associations, and telecommunications companies.