USDOT names winners of automated driving demo grants

Grants aim to gather safety data to inform rulemaking and foster collaboration amongst state and local government, private partners.

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September 19, 2019

USDOT names winners of automated driving demo grants — The U.S. Department of Transportation announced nearly $60 million in federal grant funding to test the safe integration of automated driving systems on U.S. roadways.
Texas A&M Transportation Institute

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The U.S. Department of Transportation announced nearly $60 million in federal grant funding to test the safe integration of automated driving systems on U.S. roadways. Texas A&M Transportation Institute

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced nearly $60 million in federal grant funding to eight projects in seven states to test the safe integration of automated driving systems (ADS) on U.S. roadways. These grants aim to gather significant safety data to inform rulemaking and foster collaboration amongst state and local government and private partners, according to a statement.

Automation offers the potential to improve safety for vehicle operators, occupants, and other travelers sharing the road. To address this potential, DOT solicited applications through the Notice of Funding Opportunity for ADS Demonstration Grants, highlighting key goals for safety, data for safety analysis and rulemaking, and collaboration.

Grant awards are contingent upon compliance with all relevant federal regulations. For more information on the applications received, visit www.dot.gov/av/grants.

The following applicants were selected to receive grants:

State	Applicant	Project Description	Funding
TX	Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES)	This project will develop and test ADS for rural roads without high-definition maps and with no or low-quality road signs or markings.	$7,063,787
IA	University of Iowa	This project will connect rural, transportation-challenged populations using a mobility-friendly ADS built on a commercially available platform.	$7,026,769
VA	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) Transportation Institute	This project will define, develop, and demonstrate key dynamic scenarios and their potential solutions for safe interaction of ADS-equipped vehicles in a Northern Virginia corridor optimized for vehicle automation.	$7,500,000
VA	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) Transportation Institute	This project will develop and demonstrate a Fleet Concept of Operations to provide the trucking industry with clear guidelines on how to safely implement, and benefit from, ADS-equipped trucks.	$7,500,000
OH	Ohio Department of Transportation (DOT) (through DriveOhio)	This project will conduct a multi-pronged demonstration approach focusing on rural environments, cooperative automation, and robust data collection to enable development of effective and informed ADS policies.	$7,500,000
PA	Pennsylvania Department of Transportation	This project will explore safe integration of ADS into work zones by examining connectivity, visibility, and high-definition mapping technologies.	$8,409,444
MI	City of Detroit, MI	This project will implement the Cooperative Automation Research Mobility Applications (CARMA) Level 3 software platform for demonstration testing focused on mobility, safety, and endurance.	$7,500,000
CA	Contra Costa Transportation Authority, CA	This project will demonstrate Level 3 and Level 4 vehicles using shared on-demand, wheelchair accessible ADS-equipped vehicles.	$7,500,000