BACKGROUND

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies and applications (hereafter “AI tools”) usage has grown exponentially in the last few years. Some AI tools were developed and implemented by state and local departments of transportation (DOTs) to solve transportation challenges. However, many AI tools within the transportation industry are maturing or were implemented by early adopters, and the implementation results may not be well known by the transportation industry.

Other issues need to be considered when developing and adopting AI tools. For instance, effective communication plays an important role in the day-to-day use of responsible AI tools; if AI-generated results are not communicated and explained properly, it could lead to stakeholder skepticism about results and processes.

Research is needed to gather independent data on the conception, deployment, and communication strategies of AI tools in the transportation domain. This information will help state DOTs and other transportation agencies successfully adopt AI tools and profit from their benefits.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this project is to develop a briefing document to capture successful AI tool use cases in transportation.

The main target audience for this briefing document is DOT chief executive officers (CEOs) and senior managers. The briefing document will help state DOTs and other transportation agencies understand and replicate effective and successful uses of AI tools in transportation, develop candidate policies to maintain the public’s and stakeholders’ trust, and advance the use of other AI tools in transportation.

At a minimum, the research shall:

• Investigate transportation agencies to identify AI tool use cases. The investigation shall determine the availability and access to related information to support the documentation of use cases;
• Develop a method to select successful AI tool use cases;
• Determine relevant information to be included for each use case. Each documented AI tool use case will include but not be limited to:
  • The transportation agency functional area (e.g., construction, human resources, planning, maintenance) in which the AI tool was deployed;
  • Background, qualitative, and quantitative assessments of the AI tool;
  • Resources needed for the procurement, including general costs;
  • Strategies used to overcome implementation challenges (i.e., technology, cyber security, data quality management);
  • Operation and maintenance of AI tool; and
  • Benefits for the transportation agency.
• Develop an annotated outline of the briefing document;
• Apply the method to select AI use cases for the briefing document. Select at least one AI tool application that was not successful to include in the briefing document; and
• Develop briefing document.

Accomplishment of the project objective(s) will require at least the following tasks.

TASKS

The research plan shall describe the appropriate deliverables that include, but are not limited to, the following (which may also represent key project milestones):

1. An interim report and panel meeting. The interim report should include the analyses and results of completed tasks, an update of the remaining tasks, and detailed outlines of the final research product(s).  A panel meeting will take place after the panel review of the interim report. The interim report and panel meeting should occur after the expenditure of no more than 35% of the project budget. Work on subsequent tasks will not begin until NCHRP approval of the interim report.

2. Final research product(s):

• Briefing document intended for DOT executives and senior managers;
• A conduct of research report that documents all research efforts, including strategies and recommendations for successfully deploying and replicating AI tools in transportation; and
• A presentation with detailed presenter notes summarizing the findings of the research.

3. A technical memorandum titled “Implementation of Research Findings and Products”.

STATUS: Proposals have been received in response to the RFP. The project panel will meet to select a contractor to perform the work.