This project is combined with NCHRP Project 14-42 Determining the Impact of Connected and Automated Vehicle Technology on State DOT Maintenance Programs
C/AV technologies offer potential benefits to improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability of people and goods movement. The current AASHTO Fleet Challenge demonstrates the States’ commitment to using connected vehicle technologies and the 5.9Ghz spectrum. Additional automated vehicle applications can be envisioned for infrastructure owner-operators (IOOs) fleets. Among the most obvious are C/AV transit applications for transit priority, AV first-mile, last-mile shuttles or circulator systems, and automated crash abatement vehicles for work zones. Short-staffed Infrastructure Owner-Operators (IOOs) may find significant benefits in automation of certain manually performed tasks, not just in the transportation department, but across public agency services such as emergency services and public utilities.
Other potential applications for C/AV technologies for IOO fleets may include:
- Automated equipment, parts, or tool delivery for construction and work zones
- Automated aerial or wheeled drones for incident surveillance or fast-response services, such as delivery of gasoline
- Automated street cleaning
- Automated garbage collection
- Automated meter-reading
- Automated pavement data collection and pavement repair
- Automation-assisted snow plows
- Automated bike-share rebalancing
- Automated tree-trimming
- Automated fire-fighting
- Search and rescue
Automated IOO fleets may have the ability to redress inequities for marginalized communities, create new and better jobs, and increase staff productivity. This project will explore the possible applications of connected and automated vehicle technologies to improve IOO services and business process efficiency.
