Cooperative Driving Automation Research for Freight

Building from current and past FHWA CARMA projects (e.g. CARMA Prototype I and II, CARMA TSMO Phases I and II, CARMA IHP, CARMA HIL), the CARMA software suite is becoming a powerful tool to assist researchers in advancing Cooperative Driving Automation (CDA) strategies. The CARMA software suite is being developed to be open source using agile software development practices and is hosted on GitHub. It is being used by multiple partners both within the DOT (e.g. FMCSA, MARAD) and external to DOT (e.g. Universities of Cincinnati and Utah) to support light and heavy vehicle testing. Thus, since the CARMA software suite is open source, it is successfully encouraging research collaboration with the goal of understanding the benefits of CDA by partnering with industry, academia, and the public sector. FHWA is pursuing three main research tracks (Traffic, Reliability, and Freight) that support the USDOT CARMA Program and this specific project is focusing on the Fright research track. This is a multi-year phased project to develop and demonstrate several comprehensive Cooperative Driving Automation use cases for Freight. This project is an outgrowth of three representative on-going projects: (1) ITS JPO/MARAD/FMCSA Project "Port Autonomous/Connected Drayage Truck Development and Testing" that will conduct a proof-of-concept testing of automated truck movement within a port, and develop a subsequent experiment/testing design of a more comprehensive demonstration; (2) "CARMA TSMO Phase II" project that will develop a freight signal priority application, focusing around a port, and conduct a testing; and (3) "Truck Platooning Early Deployment Assessment" project that will conduct a field operational test of truck platoons on an actual revenue service. Building on all the accomplishments from these three projects, in the first phase in FY21, this project will focus on developing and demonstrating a comprehensive port use case, encompassing automation (including loading and unloading of chassis and containers) within a port and freight signal priority around the port. For this, a port either in Maryland or Florida will be selected for development and demonstration of a freight use case focusing on port operations. Specific tasks include: CDA Feature Development (ConOps and Algorithm), CDA Verification and Validation (Simulation, Testing , and Closed Track and Public Road), CDA Analytics (Results, Analysis, and Performance Metrics), Demonstration and Outreach (Webinars/Workshops and Conferences), and Final Demonstration. Starting from the next phase in FY22, the scope of this project will expand further to cover much broader operations and safety issues in the freight area. This expanded scope will attempt to combine multiple use cases into one effort to showcase how CDA can ultimately improve overall freight operations. Some of the example use cases include: automation in and around the ports, automated inspection of trucks, truck platooning operations, a human-driven leader and autonomous follower truck convoy, solo automation of trucks being pursued by private industries, and so on. More specific use case(s) will be defined during the first phase in FY21 in cooperation with USDOT partners (FHWA, FMCSA, MARAD, ITS JPO) as well as outside stakeholders (ports, trucking/drayage companies, independent operators, CMV drivers, warehouse operators).

• Supplemental Notes:
  • USDOT Research Hub DisplayID 157399

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $114000
• Sponsor Organizations:

  Intelligent Transportation Systems - Joint Program Office

  ,    
• Managing Organizations:

  Federal Highway Administration

  Mclean, VA  United States  22101
• Project Managers:

  Park, Hyungjun

• Start Date: 20210601
• Expected Completion Date: 20230403
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• USDOT Program: Automation
• Subprogram: Program Support

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Autonomous vehicles; Connected vehicles; Freight traffic; Port operations
• Subject Areas: Freight Transportation; Motor Carriers; Operations and Traffic Management; Terminals and Facilities; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01864204
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Department of Transportation
• Files: RIP, USDOT
• Created Date: Nov 17 2022 11:56AM