Cooperative Automated Transportation (CAT)

Cooperative Automated Transportation

Roadway safety in a cooperative automated world

Highway automation is not years away, or even days away. It’s here now, causing a number of state transportation agencies to react with initiatives related to preparing and supporting Connected Automated Vehicles (CAVs) on U.S. roadways.


Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAVs)

Cooperative Automated Transportation (CAT) deals with CAVs, which are vehicles capable of driving on their own with limited or no human involvement in navigation and control. Per the definition adopted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there are six levels of automation (Levels 0-2: driver assistance and Levels 3-5: HAV), each of which requires its own specification and marketplace considerations.


Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) and Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAVs)

For traffic safety, vehicle-to-everything communications is the wireless exchange of critical safety and operational data between vehicles and anything else. The "X" could be roadway infrastructure, other vehicles, roadway workers or other safety and communication devices. ATSSA members are at the forefront of these technologies, and are working with stakeholders across new industries to see these innovations come to life.


Sensor Technology

CAVs rely on three main groups of sensors: camera, radar, and Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR). The camera sensors capture moving objects and the outlines of roadway devices to get speed and distance data. Short- and long-range radar sensors work to detect traffic from the front and the back of CAVs. LIDAR systems produce three-dimensional images of both moving and stationary objects.


For more information about ATSSA’s efforts on CAT and CAV’s and their interaction with our member products check out the resources below.




Resources

Pam
/ Categories: ATSSA, Government, Infrastructure, Roadway, Transportation, Tech and Innovation

Proposed 11th edition of MUTCD available for preview

Public comments period starts Monday

The first comprehensive update to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways (MUTCD) in more than a decade is now available for preview in the Federal Register.

The document opens for public comment on Monday.

The Notice of Proposed Amendments for the 11th edition of the MUTCD contains more than 600 proposed changes, according to a statement from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

“The proposed updates to the manual smartly envision the future of transportation by considering the preparedness of our nation’s highways for automated vehicles,” FHWA Administrator Nicole R. Nason said in announcing the proposed revisions. “They also renew attention on safety for our most vulnerable road users, including the nation’s highway workers, emergency responders, cyclists, and pedestrians.”

The proposed modifications put forth “proven advancements while remaining flexible to accommodate newer technologies and operational strategies,” according to the FHWA statement.

“This update has been anticipated by our members for months and it’s great that we will soon have the opportunity to review it to see the hundreds of proposed changes it contains,” said ATSSA Vice President of Engagement Nate Smith. “This document is fundamental to the roadway safety infrastructure industry so it is of utmost importance for us to engage and provide our feedback.”​

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