Older drivers contending with stress or fatigue may turn to such automotive technology as the AwareCar, from Coughlin’s lab, which can alert drivers if their performance flags at the wheel. Some communities have developed alternative transportation options for seniors who can’t count on relatives or friends to shuttle them to appointments or shopping. Big box stores have begun to recognize that acres of parking lot and warehouse pose insuperable challenges to older folks, and are working on making their locations more convenient and navigable.

[The Aware Car, an Autonomous Parking Video]

Coughlin cites additional ways society is beginning to accommodate the specific needs of the elderly, so as to sidestep the problems of transportation altogether. These include smart toilets that monitor human waste and upload information to disease management companies, signaling if a change in diet is indicated, and delivering appropriate foods; and home delivery of health care services and products by such retailers as Walgreens. 

In spite of these promising moves, the sheer number of aging baby boomers who will need to get around in coming years spells trouble. "We are still going to have a major mobility gap in the US," Coughlin believes, "even if we started yesterday and invested billions to work really fast."

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