T3 Webinar Overview

Connected Vehicle Basics

Date:   Thursday, April 24, 2014
Time:  1:00 PM – 2:30 PM ET
Cost:  All T3 webinars are free of charge
PDH:  1.5   View PDH Policy

T3 Webinars are brought to you by the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Professional Capacity Building Program (PCB) of the U.S. Department of Transportation's (U.S. DOT) ITS Joint Program Office (JPO). References in this webinar to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the U.S. DOT.

Background

Connected vehicles use communications technology to allow cars, trucks, transit vehicles, traffic signals, work zones, and even pedestrians to “talk” to each other and exchange valuable information that could help avoid crashes and hazards. Connected vehicles have the potential to transform the way Americans travel through the creation of a safe, interoperable wireless communications network—a system that includes cars, buses, trucks, trains, traffic signals, cellphones, and other devices.

This webinar will feature two speakers from the U.S. DOT who will introduce the Connected Vehicle Research Program, explain the concept, describe the technology, and explain the benefits and challenges of connected vehicles. The webinar will also discuss how connected vehicles effect safety, mobility, and the environment. The three main components of the research program include the applications, technology, and policy/institutional issues. The webinar will conclude with information on how to get involved in the Connected Vehicle Research Program.

Agenda

• Introduction to Connected Vehicles
• Connected Vehicle Applications
• Research Toward Connected Vehicle Implementation
• How to Get Involved

Valerie Briggs leads the team that is examining policy issues related to the Connected Vehicle Research Program and Brian Cronin coordinates the ITS suite of research programs focused on connected vehicles.

Learning Objectives

This webinar will:

• Offer a broad overview of the Connected Vehicle Research Program.
• Describe some of the U.S. DOT's cutting-edge research as part of the Connected Vehicle Research Program.
• Offer information on how State DOTs, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), local and county organizations and the private sector can get involved.

Target Audience

• State DOT and MPO ITS program managers and engineers
• Consultants and vendors
• Government officials at local, State, and Federal levels
• University professors, students, administrators, and researchers
• Other individuals or entities involved in the design, deployment, operation, or evaluation of ITS programs
• Those interested in learning more about the Connected Vehicle Research Program

Host

Mac Lister, Manager, ITS PCB Program, ITS JPO, U.S. DOT

Mr. Mac Lister is the manager of the ITS PCB Program at the ITS JPO. He has over 35 years of experience in the field of information systems. Before joining the ITS JPO, Mr. Lister was an ITS Specialist at the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Resource Center. Before that, he worked as an IT manager for 25 years, the last 12 of which were for a public transit agency. His ITS areas of expertise are 511 technology, overall operations, national ITS architecture, ITS professional capacity building and workforce development, and systems engineering.

Mr. Lister has provided training, outreach, and technical support for the National ITS Architecture and Systems Engineering programs. He has also served as the team leader for the FHWA's National Field Support Team, the field co-chair for the FHWA Operations Council's architecture and systems engineering working group, and a member of the 511 Deployment Coalition Working Group.

Mr. Lister is a certified instructor and a master trainer for the National Highway Institute. He has taught courses in ITS software acquisition, systems engineering, and the national ITS architecture. He has also been an independent consultant to ITS America.

Presenters

Valerie Briggs, Professional Engineer, P.E., Project Management Professional, Team Lead, Knowledge Transfer and Policy, ITS JPO, U.S. DOT

Ms. Valerie Briggs is the Team Lead, Knowledge Transfer and Policy, for U.S. DOT's ITS JPO. She leads a team that is examining the policy issues related to the Connected Vehicle Research Program—a multimodal initiative that aims to enable safe, interoperable, networked wireless communications among vehicles, the infrastructure, and passengers' personal communications devices. Ms. Briggs joined U.S. DOT in August 2007 from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), where she led AASHTO's transportation operations group responsible for traffic operations, intelligent transportation systems, telecommunications, and transportation security programs. She has also consulted and conducted research in these areas. Ms. Briggs holds both Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Civil Engineering, as well as a Master of Public Affairs degree, all from the University of Texas at Austin.

Brian Cronin, P.E., Team Lead, ITS Research, ITS JPO, U.S. DOT

Mr. Brian Cronin is the Team Lead of ITS Research in the U.S. DOT's ITS JPO. He leads the team that manages projects implementing the Department's research agenda. Mr. Cronin is a professional engineer and has worked in transportation and ITS for 20 years. He first worked in a consulting company where he planned and designed traffic management control systems for the public sector. Mr. Cronin worked at the Federal Transit Administration for seven years prior to joining the ITS JPO in 2005. Mr. Cronin currently co-manages the Integrated Corridor Management ITS initiative, and is coordinating the ITS suite of research programs focused on connected vehicles. Mr. Cronin holds a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech and a Master's degree in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University.