Preparedness of Autonomous Transportation in Rural and Tribal Communities

Rural and Tribal communities in the United States face significant transportation challenges, including limited access, safety concerns, and economic barriers. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, more than half of all rural census tracts rank in the 81st percentile or higher for transportation insecurity. This metric underscores the difficulties individuals in these areas face in consistently, reliably, and safely accessing necessary destinations for their daily lives. Despite only 19% of the U.S. population residing in rural areas, these regions account for 47% of all roadway fatalities and 34% of all public highway-rail grade crossing fatalities, with a fatality rate on rural roads twice that of urban roads. Emergency response times are also more than twice as long in rural areas, and nearly 25% of Americans aged sixty-five and older live in these communities. The advent of autonomous vehicles (AVs) presents an opportunity to address these issues, but their successful integration hinges on a comprehensive understanding of community readiness and infrastructure preparedness. This project aims to evaluate the feasibility and implications of AV deployment in these unique contexts. It will adopt a multi-faceted approach to assess various dimensions critical to AV integration: (1) The project will examine existing transportation access and equity in rural and tribal areas, identifying specific needs and gaps that AVs could potentially address; (2) It will employ innovative data collection methods, such as roadside/satellite communications and vehicular sensing technologies, to assess the current state of infrastructure and pinpoint areas requiring improvement for AV compatibility. These innovative methods will ensure a comprehensive and accurate evaluation of the infrastructure's readiness for AV deployment, and (3) The project will actively engage local stakeholders to explore community perceptions and readiness for AVs. This inclusive approach will provide insights into the acceptance of this technology, perceived benefits and concerns, and potential barriers to adoption, ensuring that the research reflects the diverse perspectives within these communities. The study will analyze relevant regulatory frameworks to ensure they support safe and effective deployment of AVs in rural and tribal communities. The research goals will be accomplished through the following tasks. Task 1: Associated Challenges of AV and Readiness Evaluation in Rural and Tribal Areas - to identify the challenges pertinent to rural and tribal transportation through interactions, such as interviews, meetings, and email communications. Task 2 Preparedness of Roadway Infrastructure for AV Deployment in Rural and Tribal Areas - to leverage sensor technologies equipped on the Oklahoma State University (OSU) 3D data vehicle, to evaluate the preparedness of physical infrastructure for AV deployment in rural and tribal areas. Task 3: Development of Multi-Channel Communication Systems - to develop a multi-channel communication platform to assess the readiness of connectivity infrastructure, focusing on coverage and communication reliability. Task 4: Outreach Workshops and Training - to educate relevant parties on the state-of-the-art development and deployment of connected and autonomous vehicles and the findings of this project. Outreach workshops and training will be delivered as one of the project’s outcomes. By addressing these diverse aspects, this project will generate valuable knowledge about the preparedness of rural and Tribal areas for AV integration. The findings will inform decision-making for policymakers, transportation planners, and community leaders, enabling them to develop strategies that maximize the potential benefits of AVs while mitigating challenges.

• Record URL:
  • https://www.sptc.org/cy2-osu-07

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $60,000.00
• Contract Numbers:

  CY2-OSU-07

  69A3552348306

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Managing Organizations:

  Southern Plains Transportation Center

  University of Oklahoma
  202 W Boyd St, Room 213A
  Norman, OK  United States  73019
• Project Managers:

  Dunn, Denise

• Performing Organizations:

  Oklahoma State University, Stillwater

  School of Civil & Environmental Engineering
  Stillwater, OK  United States  74078
• Principal Investigators:

  Li, Joshua

  Paranjothi, Anirudh

• Start Date: 20241001
• Expected Completion Date: 20250930
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Access; Autonomous vehicles; Equity; Feasibility analysis; Infrastructure; Rural areas; Tribal government
• Geographic Terms: Oklahoma
• Subject Areas: Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Society; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01941675
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Southern Plains Transportation Center
• Contract Numbers: CY2-OSU-07, 69A3552348306
• Files: UTC, RIP
• Created Date: Jan 1 2025 1:49PM