VCC Partnership

More than 15 years ago, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) partnered to create one of the first active and integrated roadways featuring intelligent transportation systems: the Virginia Smart Road. Today, VDOT, along with its research arm, the Virginia Transportation Research Council (VTRC) and VTTI have teamed once again to enhance and complement the development and deployment of the next generation of vehicular technology with the VCC.


VTTI is the second largest university-level transportation institute in the U.S. with more than 475 employees. VTTI conducts research to save lives, time, and money and protect the environment. VTTI has effected significant change in public policies for driver, passenger, and pedestrian safety and is advancing the design of vehicles and infrastructure to increase safety and reduce environmental impacts.

In all endeavors, the VTTI community is charged with finding solutions to the greatest transportation challenges facing not only the nation but also the world. The faculty, staff, and students of VTTI are truly dedicating their lives to saving lives.

VDOT, with the third largest state-maintained highway system in the country, strives to capitalize on the safety and operational benefits of connected and automated vehicle technologies and make Virginia the most attractive state for industry to deploy, test, operate and evolve connected vehicle products and services. VDOT's Connected and Automated Vehicle program helps guide the department in the deployment and sustainment of related technologies and initiatives.

See the Research Partner Projects page for more information about VDOT’s transportation data portal, SmarterRoads.

The VTRC is one of the nation’s leading transportation research centers, specializing in basic and applied research to support VDOT, its primary customer. It also provides technical consulting and training of future transportation professionals through its work with the University of Virginia and other Virginia universities.

VTRC promotes advances in:

  • Structures
  • Materials
  • Pavements
  • Safety
  • System operations
  • Traffic engineering
  • Transportation planning
  • Environmental issues
  • Business practices