The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) ITS Joint
Program Office (ITS JPO) is responsible for conducting
research on behalf of the Department and all major modes to
advance transportation safety, mobility, and environmental
sustainability through electronic and information technology
applications, known as ITS.
Mission
The USDOT's ITS program focuses on intelligent vehicles, intelligent infrastructure,
and the creation of an intelligent transportation system. The program supports
the overall advancement of ITS through investments in major research initiatives,
exploratory studies, and a deployment support program including technology
transfer and training.
ITS Strategic Research Plan
The ITS Strategic Plan 2015-2019 outlines the direction and
goals of the USDOT's ITS program and provides a framework
around which the ITS JPO and other Department agencies will
conduct ITS research, development, and adoption activities to
achieve the program's outcomes and goals.
The ITS Strategic Plan's framework is built around two
key ITS program priorities-realizing connected vehicle
implementation and advancing automation. The priorities
reflect stakeholder feedback on the need for the ITS program
not only to conduct research, but also to help with deployment and implementation
of specific technologies related to connected vehicles and automation.
- Realizing Connected Vehicle Implementation: Builds on the substantial
progress made in recent years around design, testing, and planning for
deployment of connected vehicles across the nation.
- Advancing Automation: Shapes the ITS program around the research,
development, and adoption of automation-related technologies as
they emerge.
Connected Vehicle Research
The USDOT's connected vehicle research is a multimodal
initiative to enable safe, interoperable networked wireless
communications among vehicles, infrastructure, and
passengers' personal communications devices. The USDOT and
others are sponsoring connected vehicle research to leverage
the potentially transformative capabilities of wireless technology
to advance transportation safety, mobility, and environmental
sustainability. USDOT research supports the development and
testing of ITS connected vehicle technologies and applications,
to determine their potential benefits and costs. If successfully
deployed, connected vehicles will ultimately enhance the safety,
mobility, and quality of life of all Americans, while helping to
reduce the environmental impact of surface transportation.
Research Focus Areas
Safety
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA), there were 6.1 million crashes in 2014. The number
of fatalities from vehicle crashes is falling but still accounted
for 32,675 deaths. Vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-toinfrastructure
(V2I) wireless communications based safety
applications enable vehicles to inform a driver of roadway
hazards and dangerous situations that they can't see.
These applications have the potential to reduce or eliminate
crashes through:
- Driver Advisories
- Driver Warnings
- Vehicle and/or Infrastructure Controls
Mobility
According to the Texas Transportation Institute, U.S. highway
users wasted 6.9 billion hours stuck in traffic in 2014. Connected
vehicle mobility applications will enable system users and
system operators to make smart choices that reduce travel delay.
The applications will provide a connected, data-rich travel
environment using information transmitted anonymously from
thousands of connected vehicles in the transportation system.
This could help transportation managers monitor and manage
transportation system performance taking actions like adjusting
traffic signals and dispatching emergency services. This
information could also help transportation agencies and fleet
owners manage crews and use resources more efficiently.
Environment
According to the Texas Transportation Institute, the total amount
of wasted fuel topped 3.1 billion gallons in 2014. Connected
vehicle environmental applications can advise drivers on how
to optimize their vehicle's operation and maintenance for
maximum fuel efficiency. Data from connected vehicle systems
can also provide traffic management centers with detailed,
real-time information on traffic flow, speeds, and other vehicle
conditions. This can be used to optimize system operation.
The Future of Connected Vehicles
Based on the successful results of the
connected vehicle research program
and the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) decision to pursue
vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications
safety technology for light vehicles, the
USDOT is pursuing a robust Connected
Vehicle Pilot Deployment Program.
This program serves as a mechanism to
expedite the implementation of connected
vehicle technology. The USDOT has
awarded up to $42 million to New York
City; Tampa, FL; and Wyoming for the
pilots. The locations were selected in
a competitive process to go beyond
traditional vehicle technologies to help
drivers better use the roadways to get to
work and appointments, relieve the stress
caused by bottlenecks, and communicate
with pedestrians on cell phones of
approaching vehicles.
Integrating Innovative Technologies: The Smart
City Challenge
The USDOT wants to show what is possible when
emerging data and ITS technologies and applications
are integrated with existing systems in a city to improve
safety, enhance mobility, and address climate change.
Thus, the USDOT has pledged up to $40 million to one
city to help it define what it means to be a "Smart City"
and become the country's first city to fully integrate
innovative technologies-self-driving cars, connected
vehicles, and smart sensors-into their transportation
network. In addition, Paul G. Allen's Vulcan Inc. is offering
an additional $10 million to the winning city to support
infrastructure for electric vehicles, and the winning city's
public bus system will receive Mobileye's Shield +TM
technology on its entire bus fleet.
See more at: https://www.transportation.gov/smartcity.
Key Officials
Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office
Kenneth Leonard
Director of the ITS Joint Program Office
Egan Smith
Managing Director
The U.S. Government's Role
The ITS JPO is housed within the USDOT's Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology. The ITS JPO fosters the
development and future deployment of connected vehicle technologies. But connected vehicle research involves all agencies within
the USDOT including NHTSA, the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the Federal Transit
Administration, and the Federal Railroad Administration. The USDOT and its public and private partners are working to address the
technical, safety, and policy challenges and are helping to create the standards and the wireless architecture that will be the backbone of
the system. Connected vehicle research will leverage the potentially transformative capabilities of wireless technology to make surface
transportation safer, smarter, and greener. If successful, connected vehicles will ultimately enhance the mobility and quality of life of all
Americans, while helping to reduce the environmental impact of surface transportation.
To learn more about the ITS program, contact:
Mike Pina
Program Manager, Communications
ITS Joint Program Office
Research and Innovation Technology Administration
(202) 366-3700
michael.pina@dot.gov