Overview
The development and adoption of Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAV) is moving at a rapid pace. As these vehicles begin to appear on publicly owned roads in significant numbers, those who own and operate the roads need to be prepared for their impacts. These emerging technologies will impact every aspect of the Department, including operations, construction, maintenance and information technology, as well as the potential impacts to the way the department funds its day-to-day operations and looks at partners. Preparing for a future of CAV will require the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to develop new policies, programs and partnerships, address rapidly changing technologies and the need to deploy and maintain those technologies, manage and analyze new data from a variety of new sources and address the funding needs associated with both the implementation of new roadside and backend technologies and the impacts these new vehicles may have on funding. As a result, VDOT will also need to develop and implement a plan to address the impacts of this paradigm shift in mobility. This document provides a strategic roadmap to guide VDOT in the deployment and sustainment of CAV technologies and solutions.
VDOT’s vision for CAV is to capitalize on the safety and operational benefits of CAV technologies to meet its goals and objectives. VDOT also has the vision to position Virginia as the most attractive state for industry to deploy, test, operate and evolve CAV products and services. The goals and objectives of VDOT’s participation in the CAV program are focused on four key areas:
- Reduce crashes and fatalities on Virginia roadways by improving safety measures.
- Improve mobility to reduce delay, increases system reliability and provides more efficient use of physical infrastructure.
- Reducing infrastructure investments through efficiencies enabled by the conversion of vehicles that are connected and automated
- Enhance traveler information The deployment of CAV technology and applications will be a phased approach spread out over the next 20 years. The technology in the vehicles will evolve as market penetration increases.
The CAV Program Plan provides phased strategies and strategic actions that will prepare the Department for the resulting changes as the technology becomes integrated into standard business practices. The overarching strategy of the program focuses on preparing the organization for the future rather than on prioritizing individual projects or development efforts.
This high-level guidance is intended to provide strategic actions to help VDOT achieve its vision of capitalizing on safety and operational benefits and on attracting industry to the Commonwealth of Virginia. The approach to the plan implementation is two-fold. Foremost, focus on the strengths that make Virginia unique to an early, successful deployment of technology. Secondly, support research, development and implementation using a needs-based approach.
Connected and Automated Vehicle Program Plan
Successful plan implementation will require that VDOT rely on the diverse resources that are unique to Virginia. The key resources and differentiators which will ultimately be leveraged include:
- VDOT owned and operated roadways with diverse urban, suburban, and rural characteristics, including a large network of High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes
- An “Open-for-business” regulatory environment for innovative transportation solutions
- Statewide mature, robust, and supported networking and cloud-based data services
- Trusted world-class research and testing capabilities
- Local leadership and expertise in cybersecurity, including military partners
- A strong knowledge-based economy with a large and growing, highly trained workforce to support the technology sector
- Proximity to Washington, D.C.
- Four season testing
- Diverse infrastructure
- Extensive managed lanes (HOT lanes) network to test and operate
- Knowledge based economy
To prepare for the future of CAV in Virginia, the DOT has developed an internal
series of near-term and mid- to long-term actions that are technical in nature and focus on partnerships and external coordination:
- Organizational Actions:
- Identify and designate roles and responsibilities for the CAV Program Manager, CAV Deployment Lead positions and other key staff
- Launch the CAV Program Plan Department wide to internally promote and support the creation of a culture of innovation and proactive integration of CAV technologies into plans, programs and projects
- Coordinate and convene Executive Steering Committee for the CAV Program
- Technical Actions and Activities:
- Focus on development and early deployment activities.
- Demonstrate the capabilities and benefits of CAVs
- Integrate CAV strategies into the long-term planning and programming processes
- Develop a data architecture plan and strategy
- External Partnership-Related Actions:
- Track technology advances that will impact the CAV program
- Develop an external stakeholder outreach, communication and coordination strategy that is coordinated with the VDOT CAV strategy Connected and Automated Vehicle Program Plan
As the technologies associated with CAV continue to advance, VDOT will take mid- and long-term actions to ensure continued success with CAV programs and implementations. Due to the rapid changes in the industry, these actions cannot be defined as tightly as the near-term actions. However, VDOT has identified three key actions to support mid-term and long-term planning efforts, including the development of:
- Develop Mid- and Long-Term Implementation Plans
- Establish Deployment Guidance for Stakeholders
- Develop CAV Standards and Specifications
To accomplish this vision, VDOT needs key resources dedicated to the implementation of the CAV program plan. These key resources include staffing, contracting/partnering and funding for implementation, operations and maintenance. Full-time leadership, contract support, partnerships in both the public and private sectors, an investment plan, and education are critical for program success and the achievement of VDOT goals. The success of both short- and long-term VDOT CAV visions will rely on effective contributions of contract staff, automotive industry and university research under championship of VDOT leadership.