US government-funded project tests connected vehicles for lifesaving applications
A US Department of Transportation-funded project called THEA Connected Vehicle Pilot has been testing connected vehicles for lifesaving applications at the American Center of Mobility.
The tests were undertaken in collaboration with automotive manufacturers and road operators.
The Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority Connected Vehicle Pilot (THEA CV Pilot) is a $22 million project jointly funded by the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) and THEA.
The THEA CV Pilot is deploying seven connected vehicle applications in collaboration with auto manufacturers: Honda, Hyundai and Toyota using Denso On-Board Units and Siemens Roadside Units at the American Center of Mobility (ACM) testing facility in Ann Arbor, MI from May 24 to 28, 2021.
ACM testing marks a milestone for THEA in Phase 4 by testing Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) hardware applications developed as part of the Pilot based on the original THEA CV Pilot applications.
At the testing center the THEA CV Pilot team plans to test seven connected vehicle applications:
- Forward Collision Warning (FCW)
- Emergency Electronic Brake Light (EEBL)
- Intersection Movement Assist (IMA)
- Wrong Way Entry (WWE)
- Pedestrian Collision Warning (PCW)
- End or Ramp Deceleration Warning (ERDW)
- Red Light Violation Warning (RLVW)
This will be the first time all seven applications will be tested during one ACM event. The Pilot successfully completed its first three phases of planning, deployment, and real-time data collection and this is an important step to deploying in Tampa.
During Phase 4, testing the viability of connected vehicle interoperability using OEM hardware into THEA’s program will establish not only the efficiency of CV-equipped Honda, Hyundai, and Toyota vehicles, but that the technology can be integrated into actual transportation systems to enhance the safety, mobility, and traffic reliability for drivers and pedestrians.
Bob Frey, director of planning and THEA CV project manager, says: “The THEA CV Pilot has been successful in implementing CV technology for sending warnings in real-time and documenting the data for use by the industry for future deployments.
“We are working with the OEMs to using technology to make it safer to drive. Our team’s goal is to one day eradicate crashes all together, which will require everyone to work together. This has been a great collaboration showing how the transportation industry can work together to solve problems.”
THEA’s CV Pilot was one of the first of its kind to recruit actual drivers for real-time data on the CV experience. After recruitment of drivers begins for Phase 4, OEMs will utilize local dealerships to install the CV equipment.