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    <language>en-us</language>
    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
    <docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs>
    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
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      <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
      <url>https://rip.trb.org/Images/PageHeader-wTitle-RIP.jpg</url>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/</link>
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    <item>
      <title>A Guide to IoT Planning and Implementation for Airports



</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2413903</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The effective use of an Internet of Things (IoT)—a network of connected devices—installation in an airport setting can provide data and, in turn, improve many aspects of the airport’s business, operations, and passenger experience. Since the publication of ACRP Research Report 191: A Primer to Prepare for the Connected Airport and the Internet of Things, significant advancements have been made in the enabling technologies and the diversity of IoT solutions, including hardware and software products. To leverage these advancements, airports need updated guidance on planning and deploying IoT equipment, developing processes for managing and operationalizing the output, and identifying target areas of improvement.

The objective of this project is to develop (1) a guide for U.S. airports that provides strategies for developing or improving an integrated IoT program and (2) a menu of IoT use cases scalable to U.S. airports of all sizes and all levels of information technology (IT) maturity. Each use case should consider and/or affect one or more airport stakeholders or users, including passengers, airport employees, government partners, and tenants.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 05 Aug 2024 19:59:28 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2413903</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>MAASTO Connected Automated Vehicle (CAV) Steering Committee</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2404186</link>
      <description><![CDATA[As connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) technology and Cooperative and Automated Transportation (CAT) sectors advance, several states have established programs or designated staff to plan and prepare for the changes these technologies bring to transportation. The Mid-America Association of State Transportation Officials (MAASTO) Board unanimously nominated the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) to lead an initiative to coordinate and facilitate the creation of a pooled fund study project.  
The intended purpose of the proposed Transportation Pooled Fund (TPF) study is to support a collaborative research and project consortium on the topic of CAV technology. There is a need for establishing a common strategic direction for advancing CAV’s deployments amongst its member states. This proposed pooled fund project will focus on movement toward resolution of a common direction for the body of ten (10) states (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin) in the Region.
 
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this TPF study is to provide as needed engineering and/or technical support services for the research, development, and deployment of CAV technology and assist/support advancing various CAV related initiatives.

]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 18 Jul 2024 15:43:11 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2404186</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Innovation Consortium (TTTF, TxSTIC)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2312899</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) needs support to manage the Innovation Consortiums – projects or programs that facilitate collaboration, dissemination, and development of innovative transportation technologies and practices. The Innovation Consortiums include three previous standalone programs: Texas Technology Task Force (TTTF), the Texas State Transportation Innovation Council (TxSTIC), and the Everyday Counts (EDC) program. Closer coordination of these programs will further help to accomplish each programs individual goals. The TTTF, authorized by Texas’s 83rd Legislature General Appropriations Bill, S.B. No. 1, Item 44, VII-31, was established in 2013 to enhance its vision for the future of Texas’s transportation systems. The TTTF began with a core knowledge group of transportation experts and has grown into a successful program that is responsible for managing the Emerging Technology Portfolio, publishing white papers on critical topics, delivering strategic plans such as the Technology Utilization Plan, developing communication strategies, and conducting TTTF meetings with in-depth technical analysis. The TxSTIC was the 51st STIC established on the 22nd of March 2016, by the STIC State of Texas Charter and renewed the 20th of November 2019.  The TxSTIC was established to foster a collaborative culture for the rapid implementation of ready to deploy and beneficial innovations and technologies among stakeholders to efficiently deliver a safe and effective transportation system to the State of Texas. The TTTF, TxSTIC and EDC program, together serve as a catalyst for rapid deployment of nationally and state identified new technologies, strategies, and methods that have already been demonstrated to be successful in real world applications and would lead to improved performance and effectiveness of the transportation system within the State of Texas.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 20 Dec 2023 10:40:04 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2312899</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Develop an Agent-based Modeling Tool to Promote Electrical Vehicle (EV) Deployment and Reduce Lung Cancer Risks</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2263239</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The goal of this project is to develop a modeling tool capable of simulating Electrical Vehicle (EV) infrastructure design and user adoption scenarios to facilitate the planning and design of EV infrastructure systems and reduce transportation-related lung cancer risks.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 09 Oct 2023 14:11:27 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2263239</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>CTE Transit Vehicle Innovation Deployment Centers Project (formerly NextGen)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2077917</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project will help facilitate the coordination of three bus testing centers and conduct related new technology bus research.  The project is coordinated with a related effort being conducted by CTE.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 06 Dec 2022 09:48:23 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2077917</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Virginia Rural Microtransit Deployment Initiative</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2077908</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation will receive funding to provide microtransit in rural communities in the Tidewater region. The project will augment existing transit resources by leveraging mobile technology for real-time trip booking and vehicle routing, providing real-time, demand-response microtransit service.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 06 Dec 2022 09:48:18 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2077908</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Complete Trip – ITS4US Evaluation</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2062803</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This research involves performing independent evaluation of the USDOT’s Complete Trip - ITS4US Deployment program.   Activities will include: (1) independently review deployer-reported performance measurement results, in particular mobility gains by underserved populations resulting from the deployment; (2) conduct interviews with federal team, site key personnel, and other stakeholders; (3) assess financial and institutional frameworks resulting from each deployment; (4) review documented lessons learned; (5) estimate potential of each deployment to be replicated (where appropriate) across the nation, and the potential total benefit of this national replication.  This effort will be conducted in two parts: Part 1:  $400K over 24 months, starting October 2020. The intent is for a slower burn for the first 12 months and then ramps up as the project takes off and the deployment sites make progress.  Part 2: $600K over 30 months, starting October 2022 to cover the latter part of Phase 2 and Phase 3.  Note that Phase 3 is where most evaluation activity will occur.  The Complete Trip - ITS4US Deployment Program is a multimodal effort led by the Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office (ITS JPO) with support from the Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST), FTA, and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The Program will make up to $40 million available to enable communities to showcase innovative business partnerships, technologies, and practices that promote independent mobility for all travelers. This program is intended to have local partnerships develop and deploy integrated mobility solutions to achieve complete trips for all travelers.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 17 Nov 2022 11:56:37 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2062803</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>ITS Deployment Tracking Surveys</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2062433</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project will gather information on the deployment of ITS technology nationally via surveys targeting transportation agencies involved with management of freeways, arterials, and transit, as well as surveys of other populations on a variety of topics as appropriate.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 15 Nov 2022 16:17:47 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2062433</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Center-to-Center (C2C) Reference Implementation (RI) Open Source Transition</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2062427</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Center-to-Center (C2C) Reference Implementation task provides development support for the testing, updating and maintaining of the C2C Reference Implementation (RI) tool, which is used by state and local agencies to test the interoperability of their Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) traffic management systems for sharing of information between traffic management centers (TMC). This tool continues to gain importance as more state and local agencies share TMC data between jurisdictions. The C2C RI Tool supports efficient deployment of systems using C2C communications by providing a means to verify conformance to the associated C2C ITS standards, reducing the cost for state and local agencies to verify their implementations. This task also includes early deployment testing of the Traffic Management Data Dictionary (TMDD) standard and the National Transportation Communications for ITS Protocol (NTCIP) 2306 Application Profile for Extensible Markup Language (XML) in ITS C2C standard. TMDD is a critical tool that allows state and local ITS deployment agencies to share information using a common set of well-defined terms. Technical support and upgrades continue to be needed as the number of local agencies expand to use the C2C RI to test conformance to the Traffic Management Data Dictionary (TMDD) and NTCIP 2306 Application Profile for XML Message Encoding and Transport in ITS Center-to-Center Communications (C2C XML) standards. To date, two large agencies (San Diego and the New York City) have implemented the most recent version of TMDD (v3) with up to 3500 users in these jurisdictions alone that will need the updated C2C RI tool to verify conformance. Further, updates to TMDD and the NTCIP 2306 are envisioned in the near future to add capabilities and make improvements identified via user experience; this will require associated further updates to the C2C RI tool.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 15 Nov 2022 16:17:43 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2062427</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Exploring the Autonomous Truck Mounted Attenuator (ATMA) Technology Potential for Kansas</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2026340</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Autonomous Maintenance Technology (AMT), including the autonomous truck mounted attenuator (ATMA), has gained traction due to its safety effectiveness in work zones. Data from field tests indicate the achievable functionality of ATMA systems within business-as-usual environments. Given that AMT services (including the ATMA) need to operate under varying conditions--weather, visibility, congestion states--and for different purposes (snow plowing vs. patching), there is a need to assess the change in functionality levels of AMT systems dictated by these external factors (that we cannot control). Also, the cost-effectiveness of the AMT technologies has not been explored, accounting for application type, technological adaptation, road network geometry, and overall context (urban vs. rural). 

Thus, for deployment planning and investments, it is vital to have a good understanding of the technological (connectivity, infrastructure), economical (cost-benefit ratio considering training and staffing), and environmental (nighttime operations, rural vs. urban, adverse weather) feasibility of the AMT systems in general. 
Further, Governor Kelly has recently signed the Autonomous Vehicle Bill, and this gives us a timely opportunity to plan ATMA deployment in the State of Kansas. The objectives of the proposed research include: (A) Explore the legislative requirements for ATMA deployment in the state of Kansas. This involves exploring the current limitations and the needs--operational design domain and testbeds--concerning ATMA operations.
(B) Investigate the effects of weather, traffic environment, and road geometry attributes on the ATMA operations.
(C) Develop a plan for ATMA deployment following the recently passed AV Bill (SB 303).]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 22 Sep 2022 10:42:38 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2026340</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Exploring Cellular-Based Private Wireless Networks for the U.S. Aviation Industry



</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2007988</link>
      <description><![CDATA[An airport is both an organization and a facility with a complex network of stakeholders and systems (airlines, federal and state agencies, ground handlers, police, fire, etc.), all focused on the safe, secure, and efficient movement of aircraft, cargo, passengers, and other assets. Airports typically have a large campus and a complex set of connectivity requirements serving a variety of operational and customer service needs. These complex systems, across thousands of acres and millions of square feet of interior and exterior space, must communicate in a robust, high-bandwidth, low-latency, secure fashion. Cellular-based private wireless networks (PWNs) have the potential to improve and expand connectivity across these complex systems and large areas.  

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has allocated the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS), which is the 3.55–3.7 GHz band, for these types of complex environments. The OnGo Alliance, a coalition of companies, has been addressing certification standards and encouraging the adoption of technology that would provide connectivity in this spectrum band, especially as the industry advances into newer standards of wireless access technology.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this research is to develop a guide that identifies and discusses opportunities and challenges for the deployment of cellular-based PWNs at U.S. airports over CBRS spectrum. This should include a 4–5 minute explainer video that clearly and succinctly describes a cellular-based PWN and discusses its application in the airport environment. The research should address risk, resiliency, security implications, and ramifications for current and future applicable regulations. In addition, the research should identify and address the stakeholders that may participate in, benefit from, and/or be affected by the implementation of this technology.  ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 16 Aug 2022 17:13:52 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2007988</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Impacts of Connected Vehicles and Automated Vehicles on State and Local Transportation Agencies--Task-Order Support). Part 34. Toolbox for Navigating the Land-Use Impacts of the Automated Vehicle Ecosystem</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1909935</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The future of transportation is poised to significantly change with the prospect of automated vehicles (AVs) for both passengers and freight. Taken together, this “AV ecosystem,” may result in new travel behavior and corresponding shifts in the design of the built environment (horizontal and vertical infrastructure) and land uses – residential, commercial, and industrial. However, there is deep uncertainty surrounding the timing and scale of AV deployment, level of automation, and the magnitude of impact on travel behavior. This uncertainty poses tremendous challenges to planners in understanding the potential for change – both qualitatively and quantitatively.  
A review of transportation and land-use history might provide insights on how transformative mobility technologies impacted communities and travel behavior. Historical examples may qualitatively demonstrate how different communities adapted to change; how policies and strategies impacted the quality of life, equity, and access to destinations; exhibit lessons in unintended consequences for transportation and land use; and how to draw parallels or correlations to the future changes anticipated from the AV ecosystem.  
Planners will need nimble methods and tools to estimate the impacts of the rapidly evolving AV ecosystem so they can proactively adapt their planning approaches, provide insights to decision-makers, and ultimately help their communities achieve their goals. An analysis of past experiences could be utilized in supporting quantitative methods and determining assumptions to use in forecasting and to identify data-driven indicators and/or performance metrics. Metrics are needed to help plan for the AV ecosystem, monitor for negative impacts, and measure how the positive impacts, envisioned today, accrue to communities. 
Research is needed to identify qualitative and quantitative approaches, strategies, methods, and frameworks so transportation and land-use planners can adapt and pivot as the AV ecosystem deploys. 
The objective of this research is to build a scalable and dynamic set of qualitative and quantitative tools, frameworks, strategies, methods, metrics, and communication aids to assist planners with understanding uncertainty and the impacts from the deployment of the AV ecosystem on land use, and to inform decision-making.
The research will complement NCHRP Research Report 924: Foreseeing the Impact of Transformational Technologies on Land Use and Transportation (found at https://www.nap.edu/catalog/25580/foreseeing-the-impact-of-transformational-technologies-on-land-use-and-transportation).]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 08 Feb 2022 10:44:37 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1909935</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Administration of Highway and Transportation Agencies. Task 116. Guidance on Roles and Responsibilities in Operation of Automated Vehicles</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1905536</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project will engage with a wide range of public sector, private sector and research entities in order to develop operational definitions to support the testing, deployment, operation and oversight of AV's. These definitions, in the form of use cases, will be used to review the AV roles and responsibilities of public agencies at all levels. These roles and responsibilities will be identified and presented by agency type, operational use case, and existing classifications of vehicle automation level and operational design domain.   The results of the project will be shared at AASHTO Spring and Annual meetings, as well as the TRB Annual Meeting and other agency groupings, in order to publicize the work and discuss next steps.  It is anticipated that a broad, separate outreach effort will be needed for professional educational purposes. The project results will be foundational to needed efforts in infrastructure planning scenarios, and in public outreach and education (as prioritized by the CAV-ELT).]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 25 Jan 2022 17:00:18 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1905536</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Legal Problems Arising Out of Highway Programs. Topic 26-03. Multistate Coordination and Harmonization for AV Legislation</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1886566</link>
      <description><![CDATA[More than two-thirds of states have enacted automated vehicle (AV) legislation, an executive order regarding AVs, or with both. AV laws and regulations may differ with respect to licensing, registration, operator requirements, equipment, insurance, platooning, cell phone use, crash reporting, passenger restrictions (e.g., school buses), and operational restrictions (e.g., weather), among other items. The American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) plays a crucial role in the development of highway standards that transition into federal and state law. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) plays a crucial role in setting safety standards for AVs. Conversely, there are no federal laws regarding vehicle title and registration. The American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) has guidelines for the safe testing and deployment of AVs that are voluntary and provide recommendations for state law enactments in general rather than specific terms. Differences in state AV laws can lead to friction in state border crossings and may negatively impact transportation safety, how companies deploy, and interstate commerce. Without a consistent deployment framework, AV technology will not be achieved nationwide.
 
 
U.S. DOT’s Automated Vehicles 3.0: Preparing for the Future of Transportation, Automated Vehicles 4.0: Ensuring American Leadership in Automated Vehicle Technologies, and Automated Vehicles Comprehensive Plan recognized the need for modernizing AV regulations and promoting “regulatory consistency among state, local, tribal and territorial, and international laws and regulations so that AVs can operate seamlessly nationwide and internationally.”
 

The objective of this research is to produce a legal research digest that identifies the legal issues and barriers that exist for the national harmonization of state AV laws. This research should focus on AV deployment rather than testing. Deployment is the operation of a vehicle on public roads by members of the public who are not employees, contractors, or designees of a manufacturer or other testing entity. This research should also focus on the deployment of Level 3 (Conditional Automation), Level 4 (High Automation), and Level 5 (Full Automation) AV as defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) International with special consideration to the laws and regulations that need to be harmonized to better encourage seamless national deployment and operations of highly automated vehicles. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 19 Oct 2021 12:53:19 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1886566</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Autonomous Aircraft Logistics: Challenges and Opportunities</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1879828</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The rise of autonomous vehicles of all types has created a new landscape of autonomous logistics that is rather complex and filled with uncertainties. As carriers initiated partnerships with major retailers and restaurants to deliver groceries and food with autonomous road and sidewalk robotic vehicles, the global pandemic of 2019 has solidified and accelerated those trends. These developments resulted in a blossoming new field called autonomous logistics. This research focuses on the subfield of autonomous aircraft logistics. This proposal focuses on the subfield of autonomous aircraft cargo logistics (AACL) to directly contrast it with autonomous aircraft passenger logistics or flying taxis. AACL will potentially compete with trucks and other modes of ground transportation. The competition is likely to upend business models and change the landscape for logistics. The goal of this research is to understand the scope of AACL applications, prospects for adoption, deployment challenges, and the potential implications for planners and policymaking.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 23 Sep 2021 11:25:15 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1879828</guid>
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