Press Release
Inaugural Automated Vehicle Summit at Fort Monmouth Hosted by Princeton
University’s School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, and Munich Re America
Thursday, October 9, 2014 - New Jersey’s first summit meeting on creation of a center for research,
certification, and commercialization of automated vehicle technology took place on October 3 at former
Army base Fort Monmouth in Oceanport. The purpose of the meeting was to bring together stakeholders
with a vested interest and the wherewithal to place New Jersey at the forefront of research into potentially
life-saving technology.
More than 60 invited participants to the summit included representatives of: the insurance industry,
automakers, wireless communications industry, motor vehicle regulators, public transit industry, and
universities. State Senators Jennifer Beck, Thomas H. Kean, Jr., Joseph M. Kyrillos, Jr., and
Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon, Jr. represented New Jersey’s legislative bodies.
Keynote speaker Dr. Alain L. Kornhauser, Professor of Financial Engineering and Operations Research at
Princeton University described the need for New Jersey to develop the regulatory and physical
infrastructure necessary for the State to be competitive in what will be an annual trillion-dollar
market. Dr. Kornhauser, who has received international recognition for pioneering work in vehicle
navigation and automated transit systems, sketched out the future of automated vehicles and the potential
for the new technology to more than pay for itself in reduced insurance claims.
Anthony J. Kuczinski, President and Chief Executive Officer of Munich Re America, which co-hosted the
summit, spoke about how risk is transferred to insurance carriers and the important role that automated
vehicle technology can play in reducing collisions, fatalities and injuries.
A major focus of the summit was automated collision avoidance for public transportation. Dr. Jerome
Lutin, former Senior Director of Statewide & Regional Planning for NJ TRANSIT told the participants
that casualty and liability claims had cost the public transit bus industry more than $4 billion over the past
ten years.
Louis F. Sanders, Director of Technical Services for the American Public Transportation Association, the
leading public transportation advocacy and technical resource organization, spoke about the need to adapt
automated collision avoidance technology to public transportation. His remarks were buttressed by those
from Jerry Spears, Deputy Director of the Washington State Transit Insurance Pool, which represents 25
transit agencies.
The summit included a round table discussion with diverse representation from stakeholders including
Bernard M. Flynn, President and Chief Executive Officer of New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance
Company and Shau-wai Lam, Chairman of DCH Auto Group, which owns more than 27 auto dealerships
in California, New Jersey, and New York. Mr. Lam, whose organization founded the Teen Safe Driving
Foundation, spoke about the need for technological advances to improve safety for younger drivers.
University participation included Dr. Barbara Reagor of Monmouth University, Dr. Camile Kamga,
Director, Region 2 University Transportation Research Center, Dr. Stanley E. Young, University of
Maryland Center for Advanced Transportation Technology, and Dr. Nicholas F. Maxemchuk, Professor
of Electrical Engineering at Columbia University.
Participants who indicated their interest in leading New Jersey to achieve the benefits of using automated
vehicle technology to save lives and create a new source of high tech jobs for the State have charted a
series of next steps.

Advancing Research Towards Commercialization - Ford Motor Company provided a grant to the
Princeton Autonomous Vehicle Engineering Program (PAVE) to purchase a 2015 Ford Fusion.
PAVE is using this vehicle to test the capability to retrofit vehicles with autonomous driving
technology that relies on vision-sensors. Retrofitting vehicles will enable life-saving technology
to more quickly reach the market.

Application of Autonomous Collision Avoidance Technology to Transit Buses to Reduce Claims,
Injuries, and Fatalities - Princeton University has teamed with the American Public Transportation
Association, Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, Jerome M. Lutin, PhD, LLC, and the
Washington State Transit Insurance Pool, on a proposal to the Federal Transit Administration to
fund a $6.2 million project. This project has been endorsed by transit insurance pools in
California, Ohio, Virginia, and Washington, representing 75 transit agencies.

Preparing a Regulatory Framework for Certification – A task force including academic
researchers, State legislators, and motor vehicle regulators is being created to shape requirements
for testing and certification of autonomous vehicle technology for New Jersey

Advancing Fort Monmouth as a Center for Automated Vehicles – A steering committee is being
formed to prepare the business case and seek funding for establishing a center at Fort Monmouth,
which will utilize a portion of this 1,160-acre facility as a test bed for the Northeastern United
States.
For further information, contact Prof. Alain L. Kornhauser at Alaink@Princeton.edu