AASHTO Journal - ITS America Issues Two Automated Vehicle Resources

The Intelligent Transportation Society of America recently released two resources to help consolidate information on advances in autonomous and automated vehicles or AVs.

[Above image by ITS America]

The first is “The Automated Vehicle Resource Database,” compiled by ITS America’s Automated Vehicle Standing Committee. This database provides a one-stop shop covering all the areas in which AV technology operates, including in both the deployment and research contexts, along with a collection of safety best practices and guidelines to existing and pending regulations.

The second resource is a joint report entitled “Addressing the Patchwork – A State by State Analysis for Autonomous Trucking in the US,” created in conjunction with the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International or AUVSI and K&L Gates.

The goal of this report is to provide validation of the current lay-of-the-land for companies as they work toward deployment of on-road commercialization and start to provide an understanding among state and local partners of the potential opportunities and challenges related to the successful management of autonomous trucking policy.

“I am excited to unveil these new resources that enable better information sharing amongst our industry between the public and private sectors as the landscape for deploying technology continually evolves,” explained Laura Chace, president and CEO of ITS America, in a statement.

Meanwhile, many state departments of transportation across the country are also playing a key role in a wide variety of AV projects.

In January, AVs began operating on rural roadways in central and southeast Ohio as part of the Rural Automated Driving Systems or RADS project spearheaded by DriveOhio, a division of the Ohio Department of Transportation.

Also in January, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation participated in autonomous transit vehicle testing in Philadelphia, along with researchers from Drexel University and consulting firm AECOM.

In June, the Hawaii Department of Transportation began operating its very first autonomous all-electric passenger shuttle bus. And in 2022, the Minnesota Department of Transportation helped launch a free, low-speed, driverless, all-electric, multi-passenger shuttle service called “Bear Tracks” for the city of White Bear Lake. The agency also helped May Mobility and transit technology provider Via test AVs for rural transit service as well.

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials also has made similar resources available to the industry, especially where connected and autonomous vehicles or CAVs are concerned.

For example, in October 2021, AASHTO published a policy paper outlining the 10 key policy principles needed for connected and automated vehicles or CAVs. To access that paper, click here.

And in October this year, AASHTO joined the National Governors Association, the National Conference of State Legislatures, the National Association of Counties, the United States Conference of Mayors, the National League of Cities, the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, and the Governors Highway Safety Association in a joint statement urging Congress to preserve roadway authority in development of potential AV-related legislation.