Connected Vehicle Infrastructure University Transportation Center
The final report for Mobile User Interface Development for the Virginia Connected Corridors, submitted by Dr. Mike Mollenhauer, Alex Noble, M.S., and Dr. Zachary Doerzaph, has been released.
Report Abstract:
The purpose of this research and development activity was to build a mobile application with a low-distraction user interface appropriate for use in a connected vehicle (CV) environment. To realize their full potential, future CV applications will involve communicating information to and from drivers during vehicle operation. Mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets may be a reasonable hardware platform to provide this communication. However, there are concerns that a potential increase in driver interaction with CV applications may lead to driver distraction and possible negative impacts on driving safety. The prototype mobile device user interface that was designed and created during this project can be used to test new CV applications, validate their impact on driver safety, and inform future mobile device user interface standards for driving applications.
Click here to learn more about this project and read the final report.
The final report for Vehicle Based BSM Generator for Accelerating Deployment, submitted by Reginald Viray, Thomas Gorman, and Dr. Zac Doerzaph, has been released.
Report Abstract:
The market penetration levels needed to realize the full safety, economic, and environmental benefits of connected vehicle (CV) systems will not be met for some time. During the transition, it would be beneficial if data on non-CVs could be measured and included within the real-time CV data stream. Conceptually, a connected vehicle with advanced sensors, such as radar, could measure the dynamics of adjacent vehicles and, in addition to broadcasting its own Basic Safety Message (BSM), broadcast a pseudo BSM representing the non-connected vehicles.
This project investigated the use of radar sensors to compute the position, speed, and heading of a non-connected vehicle (non-CV) for packaging into a pseudo BSM. An algorithm was developed to estimate the speed, position, and heading of a nearby non-CV via speed, Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates, and radar data from the CV. Field tests were conducted with two vehicles on the Virginia Smart Road and on public roads in the New River Valley of Virginia. The field tests were designed to cover a variety of vehicle formations, traffic densities, velocities, and roadway environments. The final results showed that 67.9% of the position estimates were within 3 m of the measured position along the x-axis (longitudinal) and within 1.5 m of the measured position along the y-axis (lateral). Heading and speed estimates were generally excellent. Although the estimated position accuracy was lower than desired, the data that were collected and analyzed were sufficient to suggest ways to improve the system, such as fusing the radar data with camera-based vision data or using a more accurate GPS.
Click here to learn more about this project and read the final report.
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Northern Virginia District held its 12th annual Transportation Career Fair Thursday, Oct. 6, at the Prince William County Fairgrounds, in Manassas, VA.
A record 1,500 area high school students attended the event where there were numerous hands-on opportunities for students, including networking with employers, trying equipment, learning how to build a bridge and a demonstration on how concrete is made. The CVI-UTC and VTTI were among approximately 100 engineering firms, organizations, agencies and contractors from across Virginia which encouraged students to learn about careers in transportation-related fields, such as civil engineering, architecture, technology, construction and environmental engineering.
Learn more about this event here.