Skip to main content

PB designing infrastructure for connected vehicle project

Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB) has been selected to design and supervise deployment of technology infrastructure for a US Department of Transportation (US DoT) pilot programme to study the potential of operating connected vehicles on the streets and highways of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Called the Connected Vehicle Safety Pilot Model Deployment project, the $15 million research effort is being undertaken by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) and its partners on behalf of the US DoT.
April 24, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
2693 Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB) has been selected to design and supervise deployment of technology infrastructure for a 2364 US Department of Transportation (US DoT) pilot programme to study the potential of operating connected vehicles on the streets and highways of Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Called the Connected Vehicle Safety Pilot Model Deployment project, the $15 million research effort is being undertaken by the 5186 University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) and its partners on behalf of the US DoT. The programme will deploy connected vehicle technologies in Ann Arbor and data from the model deployment will be used to evaluate the potential for this technology to revolutionise automobile safety.

The advanced technology will be tested in a year-long study, which will involve the installation of wireless devices in up to 3,000 vehicles, to allow communication among the vehicles, and between the vehicles and the surrounding roadside equipment. During the deployment US DoT will evaluate the effectiveness of connected vehicle technology to prevent crashes in an everyday environment. Connected vehicle communication is based on Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC).

PB’s role will be to oversee  the infrastructure elements of the project, ensuring that all 29 roadside equipment installations are planned, engineered, procured, installed, integrated, and remain operational according to an extremely aggressive schedule.

Infrastructure will include roadside radio transmitter equipment at 21 signalised intersections, three curve locations, and five freeway sites, a robust communications backhaul network using both wireless and fibre, and facilities to process data and to showcase the system. Infrastructure also includes the replacement of signal controllers and specialised converters along two major corridors that will broadcast signal phase and timing data to vehicles via the DSRC network.

At the conclusion of the model deployment test, Parsons Brinckerhoff will assist the US DoT and UMTRI in any follow-up experiments and/or decommissioning of the roadside equipment.  The project is scheduled for completion in December 2013.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Electric charging points for northern Europe
    February 10, 2015
    The EU will support the development of routes designed to carry electric vehicle vehicles in northern Europe. This investment will be supported by the EU's TEN-T Programme. In excess of €4 million will be spent on building an open access fast charging station network in the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and Germany. In total 155 chargers for electric vehicles are to be installed along the main highways connecting these countries.
  • Florida and one.network in lane closure pilot
    August 30, 2022
    The project will use Live Link, one.network's proprietary shared road management platform that connects with major GPS providers in the US.
  • New concrete testing technologies improve speed, safety and quality
    July 8, 2016
    Developments in data processing and management are revolutionising the way concrete strengths can be measured and used to improve efficiencies - Kristina Smith reports on two new technologies A new system that uses thermal imaging to measure the strength of sprayed concrete tunnel linings is being trialled for the first time in London. The brainchild of Dr Benoit Jones, managing director of Inbye Engineering, the technique could lead to improvements in safety, quality and – in the longer run – productivi
  • Worrying decline in road safety in US
    July 4, 2016
    There has been a worrying increase in traffic fatalities in the US, according to the latest available information. The data has been released by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), showing that traffic fatalities for 2015 were 7.7% higher than for 2014. Road deaths reached 35,200 in 2015, compared with 32,675 in 2014. The data reveals a disquieting trend as the US road fatality rate for 2015 was the highest for seven years. While the total distance travelled by US drivers increase