Quick Hits

*** Data protection and cybersecurity are key parts of the automated vehicle technology principles articulated in the AV 4.0 document released last week and touted in a keynote at the CES Government conference by Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao in Las Vegas. "The takeaway from AV 4.0 is that the federal government is all in -- for safer, better and more inclusive transportation, aided by automated driving systems," Chao said.

*** Steven Walker, who just exited the directorship of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, was tapped to serve as chief technology officer at Lockheed Martin. Washington Technology has more on this story.

*** The Department of Energy announced plans to establish several multidisciplinary research centers in support of the National Quantum Initiative. Making $625 million available to collaborative research teams, DOE plans to build centers that will "push the current state-of-the-art science and technology toward realizing the full potential of quantum-based applications," the agency said in its Jan. 10 funding opportunity announcement. Read more in GCN.