Connected and Automated Vehicles
Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAVs) will shape the future of surface transportation systems in both rural and urban environments. Multiple companies including Tesla, Google, Uber and Didi are testing such vehicles with different levels of automation and connectivity. However, there is still a limited understanding on collective impact of CAVs and the responsiveness of human users to such technology. The resulting mobility and safety outcomes at a “link” or a “network” level remain a subject of investigation. TRANSMART and multiple collaborators are working to model, develop and/or deploy CAVs in rural and urban settings. The ultimate objective is to collect high-resolution trajectory data 1) to validate the modeling output associated with CAV movement and 2) understand the reaction of drivers and pedestrians present in CAV surroundings. Different messaging and warning types are tested with the objective to improve reaction time levels and vehicle dynamics in both normal and near-incident conditions.
CAV Sample Design Adopted for Testing (Courtesy of Texas A&M University and University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign)