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Current Activities
Major Initiative Status Report
Program Development Workshops
In 2004 and early 2005, the CICAS Program hosted a series of workshops to gather input for defining the CICAS Program's work plan. The workshops aimed to capture research to date in order to define the concept of "cooperative systems" and to develop a plan for execution of the program. The first workshop was hosted on December 9–10, 2004 and produced a working framework for a potential prototype system.
Proceedings from December 2004 Workshop
Crash Avoidance Metrics Partnership (CAMP)
The IVI Program established a mechanism to work with the automotive industry on research common to both industry and the government for vehicle-based safety systems. This mechanism is known as CAMP and is a working group comprised of seven automotive companies — BMW, Daimler-Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Nissan, Toyota, and Volkswagen. CAMP has provided the CICAS Program with its relevant intersection research to-date. Through CAMP, the automotive industry will continue to play a role as a working partner leading the development of the vehicle-based side of CICAS. CAMP's preparatory analysis laid the groundwork for a vehicle-based framework, which will be merged with the infrastructure framework to form a cooperative system.
Standards (DSRC)
The CICAS Program requires the use of Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) to provide a means for data to flow between vehicles and the infrastructure regarding the state of activity within the intersection. The DSRC standards were completed in 2004 and are ready for use. Prototype DSRC roadside units (RSUs) will be integrated into CICAS as one means of establishing the communications link between intersection infrastructure and vehicles.
State Activities
A number of states have been involved in addressing the intersection collision problem through both research as well as demonstration. California is focusing on systems integration and the left turn across path problem, particularly in urban areas. Michigan is hosting a prototype of an early cooperative system to test DSRC and the capability of broadcasting signal information to equipped vehicles. Minnesota is focusing on lateral direction crashes when minor roads intersect major arterials, particularly in rural areas. Minnesota is currently demonstrating an infrastructure-based rural intersection collision avoidance system and is leading an eight-state, pooled-funds demonstration to note the differences in application across varying geographies and driving characteristics. Virginia is focusing on near-term deployable approach warnings for traffic signals and signs. Moving forward, Virginia will take the lead in defining the infrastructure-based framework, and will lead the States in working with CAMP to integrate the two frameworks into one cooperative system.
Statistics showing the extent of the intersection problem in the U.S. are available on the FHWA Office of Safety Web site.
Much of the State research and demonstration has been conducted in cooperation with leading research universities under the Infrastructure Consortium – a research program established under the Intelligent Vehicle Initiative (IVI) for conducting intersection decision support system research focusing on both infrastructure-based and collaborative intersection collision avoidance systems. Three research universities formed the Infrastructure Consortium – the University of California at Berkeley Partners for Advanced Transit and Highways, the University of Minnesota Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute, and the Virginia Polytechnic Institute/Virginia Tech Transportation Institute.
Human Factors Research
A critical aspect of CICAS is the way in which information is presented to the driver (or a potential victim of a crash), whether in the vehicle or on the infrastructure. Human factors research has been looking at how drivers most effectively receive and act upon information and how information can be delivered with the least amount of unintended consequences. Both FHWA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have been conducting research in conjunction with universities and other research entities to understand the best form of interfacing with drivers to deliver information and warnings. More human factors research is needed before a decision is made regarding which type of interface will be used in CICAS.
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