This project focuses on demonstrating how vehicles equipped with automated driving systems (ADS) can safely interact with public services and infrastructure providers. VTTI has brought together a multidisciplinary team comprised of original equipment manufacturers, infrastructure owner-operators, and public safety and services partners. The demonstration approach and associated team composition focus on overcoming the most essential challenges to the safe operation of high-level ADS in real-world scenarios.
With extensive feedback from these stakeholder groups, VTTI will pinpoint targeted dynamic scenarios, outline the interactions between the ADS and public safety actors, and create technological solutions to address each situation. The VTTI team will equip vehicles with a prototype open-reference ADS package that also includes the ability to exchange data through connected vehicle systems. This capability will allow the ADS to cooperate with the roadside when needed for the ADS-equipped vehicle to maneuver in the selected scenarios.
For this project, the VTTI team is developing L4+ ADS-equipped vehicles that can respond to a range of conditions, including lane closures in advance of work zones on freeways and arterials and directions given by flaggers. Determining what data needs to be communicated regarding these complex scenarios will allow ADS developers to create and assess efficient solutions to complicated scenarios. Finally, VTTI will analyze the data with respect to the effectiveness of ADS implementations across the scenarios tested to assist with USDOT readiness assessments.
Mike Mollenhauer and Zac Doerzaph are serving as the PI and Co-PI for this project.