Data-Driven Policy Guidance for CAV Deployment in Rural Southeastern Communities

This project aims to recalibrate the connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) benefit analysis tool with regional specific inputs, which will guide policy deployment for safe and effective CAV deployment. With the promise of improving transportation safety, mobility, and other transportation system challenges, CAV technologies may face unique deployment challenges in rural communities, including limited infrastructure, lagging adoption, sparse resources and reduced technological readiness. To address these issues, the project will collect quantitative and qualitative data through surveys and stakeholder engagement targeting residents and stakeholders across eight southeastern states. This region-specific data collection is necessary because previous CAV benefit analysis tools were calibrated using data from the Puget Sound area, which does not reflect the characteristics of the Southeast. Using non-regional inputs would skew safety benefit estimates and reduce the tool’s effectiveness for policy and planning. Collecting data regionally allows for statistically representative input for scenario testing, model calibration, and policy analysis. Further, it facilitates data-driven policy decision making.

• Record URL:
  • https://www.cr2c2.com/research/major-research-initiatives/mri-1/project-1-3-2
• Supplemental Notes:
  • None

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $323,023.00
• Contract Numbers:

  69A3552348304

• 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:

  Center for Regional and Rural Connected Communities

  North Carolina A&T State University
  Greensboro, NC  United States  27411

  Alabama Transportation Institute

  University of Alabama
  Tuscaloosa, AL  United States  35401
• Project Managers:

  Penmetsa, Praveena

• Performing Organizations:

  Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton

  Boca Raton, FL  United States  33431

  University of Kentucky, Lexington

  Kentucky Transportation Center
  College of Engineering, 176 Raymond Building
  Lexington, KY  United States  40506-0281

  University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa

  Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering
  P.O. Box 870205
  Tuscaloosa, AL  United States  35487-0205
• Principal Investigators:

  Penmetsa, Praveena

  Souleyrette, Reginald

  Kaisar, Evangelos

  Jones, Steven

• Start Date: 20260102
• Expected Completion Date: 20270531
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers Program

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Autonomous vehicles; Benefits; Connected vehicles; Data collection; Rural areas; Stakeholders; Surveys
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01980904
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Center for Regional and Rural Connected Communities
• Contract Numbers: 69A3552348304
• Files: UTC, RIP
• Created Date: Feb 23 2026 2:30PM