Impacts of Connected Vehicles and Automated Vehicles on State and Local Transportation Agencies--Task-Order Support. Infrastructure Modifications to improve the Operational Domain of Automated Vehicles

AV deployments will be limited to operational domains (OD) where vehicles can readily demonstrate safe operation. Limitations in ODs may stem from factors that challenge an automated vehicle’s ability to accurately perceive the surrounding environment and effectively make decisions, such as adverse weather and degraded lane markings. City and state agencies may wish to extend the ODs to improve benefits, such as to improve economic opportunities and accessibility, connect strategic locations, and simply be an attractive place for AV testing and deployment. While agencies may not be able to control some of these OD limitations, they can take steps to modify infrastructure to improve the OD. Infrastructure modifications may include infrastructure-to-vehicle (I2V) communication systems, signage, and civil infrastructure such as curbs and barriers to provide different levels of segregation between the CAVs and other road users. Uniform and well-maintained traffic control devices, such as lane markings and traffic signs, may improve the extent of AV OD. AV functionality depends on perception algorithms to accurately detect and respond to infrastructure based on sensor information. Just as humans learn to drive through experience, many perception algorithms use machine learning that is trained to detect and classify objects and events based on past experience. Atypical conditions are more challenging for perception systems. Segregation can create a less complex environment by eliminating mixed road users that can be unpredictable, or can even take advantage of an AV’s conservative behavior. Infrastructure owners and operators want to understand how the OD of near term deployments may benefit from infrastructure modifications. This research will review and identify potential infrastructure modifications that could improve the OD of AVs.

• Record URL:
  http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=4677
• Supplemental Notes:
  • NCHRP 20-102(24) has been expanded in scope and budget to include this project.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Terminated
• Contract Numbers:

  Project 20-102(21)

• Sponsor Organizations:

  National Cooperative Highway Research Program

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

  444 North Capitol Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Project Managers:

  Derr, B

• Start Date: 20210907
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 20210907

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Autonomous vehicles; Connected vehicles; Costs; Highway design; Impacts; Implementation; Infrastructure; Intelligent vehicles; Mobile communication systems; Technology assessment
• Subject Areas: Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01687625
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project 20-102(21)
• Files: TRB, RIP
• Created Date: Dec 3 2018 3:39PM