Identification of Needs and Strategies for First Responder Interactions with Automated Vehicles (AVS)

The number of vehicles with automated functions continues to increase on Texas roadways. Several companies are testing or will soon deploy demonstrations of Level 4 automated vehicles or connected automated vehicles (CAV/AVs) within the state, with no notification requirements. Additionally, several automated commercial motor vehicle (ACMV) projects are testing Level 4 automation. While safety goals are aimed at minimizing the number of adverse incidents that occur, it is inevitable that a crash or other adverse operation will happen involving one (1) of these automated vehicles. Texas Department of Transportation's (TxDOT's) Highway Emergency Response Operator (HERO) program and other first responders are part of the front line that must be prepared to encounter a CAV/AV or ACMV during a routine interaction or adverse event/accident. This project will identify needs and strategies for first responders to understand how these vehicles operate, how to safely approach and disable these vehicles as needed during routine and adverse incident interactions and how to interact with AVs during an accident or emergency.

• Record URL:
  https://library.ctr.utexas.edu/Presto/project=0-7199

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $310814
• Contract Numbers:

  0-7199

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Texas Department of Transportation

  125 E. 11th Street
  Austin, TX  United States  78701-2483
• Managing Organizations:

  Texas Department of Transportation

  125 E. 11th Street
  Austin, TX  United States  78701-2483
• Project Managers:

  Adediwura, Jade

• Performing Organizations:

  Texas A&M Transportation Institute

  Texas A&M University System
  3135 TAMU
  College Station, TX  United States  77843-3135

  Texas Engineering Experiment Station

  College Station, TX  United States 
• Principal Investigators:

  Trefz, Bradley

• Start Date: 20230901
• Expected Completion Date: 20250228
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Autonomous vehicles; Connected vehicles; Crashes; Emergency management; First responders; Incident management; Intelligent vehicles
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Education and Training; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01894849
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Texas Department of Transportation
• Contract Numbers: 0-7199
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Sep 27 2023 4:13PM