Strong forces and influences from the computer and communication industries have augmented our ability to manage and operate our traffic management systems. Improvement in processing speed has afforded us with real-time information. Advanced technologies in communication has taken us from twisted pair copper to fiber optic cable and from Ethernet and IP to the cloud!

We used to react to incidents, now we are proactive through use of advanced motorist information systems and incident management. Our automotive colleagues via Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are helping us through use of features like lane departure warning and collision avoidance systems. We have come a long way from informing the travelers of traffic congestion or incidents to guiding them through alternative routes and providing more accurate and reliable travel time and delay information. Integrated Corridor management (ICM) and performance measurement and management techniques are commercially available, applying analytics to Big Data and turning it into actionable information.

Pace of advancement in transformational technologies – From availability of Big Data to Connected and Automated vehicles, to evolving shared use transportation economies and use of drones, the pace is accelerating, and the impact on traffic operation is expected to be profound. Much of this technological movement appears to be in response to user demand and fueled by private industry research and innovation.

So much to keep up with - We are somewhat in the chaotic mode of this evolving process before order presents itself. However, significant effort is underway by various organizations to educate and facilitate the discussion on various issues relative to advanced technologies in transportation. USDOT is leading in standards, demonstrations, and deployments; Last week’s $4B commitment over the next 10 years is truly significant. Many associations and groups (Including NOCoE) are convening to facilitate discussions and address the related issues. Private industry and academia are doing their share of research and development.

Are we prepared in the TSM&O community? There are operational, institutional, ethical, legal, and many other issues to deal with.

We need to stay informed, be involved and take part in the discussion. It is happening faster than we think.

Abbas Mohaddes is CEO of the Mohaddes group and co-founding principal at CAVita focused on Connected and automated vehicles policy, strategy and deployment. He is also a board member of the NOCoE.