Connected and
Automated
Transportation
Safety
Christopher Poe, Ph.D., P.E.
Assistant Agency Director
Texas Triangle Challenges
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Texas Triangle contains ¾ of
Texas’ 27 million people –
45 million people in 2040
11 of top 20 most congested
roadway sections in Texas
7 of top 25 national freight
bottlenecks
Doubling of freight tonnage
from 2010 to 2040
Mobility and Safety Challenges
 Mobility
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Congestion costing Texas $9 billion per year
$1,150 per commuter in large/medium sized areas
Cost of congestion to trucking industry over $1 billion in 2014
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Fatal crashes increasing over last 5 years
Truck crashes increasing
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Texas has most work zone fatalities in US
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235 pedestrian fatalities on I-35 from 2010-2014
 Safety
• 15% of crashes involve trucks
• 459 fatal crashes in 2014 involving trucks
• 40% of work zone fatalities occur on Interstates/freeways
Work Zones Challenges
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Work zones create:
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Geometric constraints (loss of shoulders / narrow lanes)
Congestion for lane closures
Often unexpected (mid-day, night)
Construction coincides with high truck travel
Phases of construction:
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Create dynamic environment
Restrict right-of-way
Disrupt utilities
Two Paths that will Converge
 Automated driving
 Connected vehicles
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems
Automated Vehicles
Level of Automation
Level Example Systems
Driver Roles
1
Adaptive Cruise Control OR
Lane Keeping Assistance
Must drive other functions and
monitor driving environment
2
Adaptive Cruise Control AND Lane
Keeping Assistance
Traffic Jam Assist
Must monitor driving
environment (system nags
driver to try to ensure it)
3
Traffic Jam Pilot
Automated parking
Highway Autopilot
May read a book, text, or web
surf, but be prepared to
intervene when needed
4
Closed campus driverless shuttle
Valet parking in garage
‘Fully automated’ in certain conditions
May sleep, and system can
revert to minimum risk
condition if needed
5
Automated taxi
Car-share repositioning system
No driver needed
Source: California PATH
Level 1 – Cooperative Adaptive Cruise
Control
Level 2 - Tesla Autopilot
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrwxEX8qOxA
Sensing Highway Infrastructure
 Scope: Develop innovative infrastructure maintenance
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solutions using emerging technologies
Sponsor: TxDOT
Deliverables: Proof of concept demonstrations in three
highway infrastructure areas:
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Safety and operations
Bridge
Pavements
 Partners: TAMU CANVASS
 Schedule: 5/15-8/16
 PI: Paul Carlson, TTI
Level 4 Automation
L1 Truck Platooning Demonstration
 Technology is reaching maturity for
deployment in highway corridors
 What are the issues for the highway owners?
 Examine how infrastructure data (V2I) can
enhance truck platooning operation
 Examine impacts to traffic and safety
Source: Peloton
TxDOT L2 Commercial Truck Platooning
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Project Goal:
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Study the feasibility of deploying 2-vehicle truck platoons on
specific corridors in Texas within 5 to10 years.
Create a first-of-its-kind freight level 2 automation platooning
demonstration in Texas.
Planning, Design, System Engineering and Prototype
Development. Includes a working demonstration in Texas.
Partners: Ricardo, Argonne National Laboratory, Denso, U.S.
Army TARDEC, Navistar, TRW, Bendix, Lytx
Additional Research:
• How to increase benefits with V2I data
What does the Google Car see?
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What are the challenges?
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Connected Vehicles
NPRM is Current Driving Force
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Support of NHTSA rulemaking driving near term SAE
DSRC Technical Committee efforts.
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Focus on IEEE and SAE efforts is to support issues
critical to V2V mandate.
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Notice of Proposed Rule Making
 Expected by first quarter 2016
 Rulemaking expected within 18-24 months after NPRM
 DSRC mandatory possibly by 2020 model year vehicles
focus from Sec. Fox
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5.9 GHz Wireless Communication
Connected Vehicle Applications
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Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I)
• In-vehicle Traveler Information
• Queue Warning
• Wrong Way Driving (WWD)
• Work Zone Warning
• Spot Weather Impact Warning
• Road Weather Warning
• Low Bridge Height Warning
• Truck Signal Priority
• Ped/Animal Warning
• Eco-Dynamic Routing
• Border Wait Times
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Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V)
• Emergency Electronic Brake
Lights (EEBL - V2Vapplication)
Driver Warnings
Connected Work Zone
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USDOT grant to Texas DOT for expanding FRATIS Corridor
Optimization for Freight
• Pre-trip planning for routes / loads
• Best windows for pick-up and drop-off
• Real-time, dynamic updates for drivers
Partners: USDOT, TxDOT, TTI, PAI, NASCO
Integrate high-quality work zone lane closure, delay, and queue
information for freight logistics
Working demonstration of freight
optimization on I-35
Schedule: FY2015-2018
AFTERMARKET DEVICES
Transit Application
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Mobileye installation on
TAMU bus for
pedestrian / bike
warnings
Consumer products
I-35 V2I Application
 Audible messages for:
• Low bridge warnings
• Travel time notifications
• Traffic speed warnings
• End of queue warnings
What are the possibilities for the
future?
New Paradigms
Future Car Interiors
New Vehicles
https://vimeo.com/98739883
Freight Shuttle
Hyperloop
Questions?
 Christopher Poe
(972) 994-0433
cpoe@tamu.edu