Category Archives: Automated Vehicle Technology

Helping automated vehicles ‘see’ through fog and snow

April 18, 2023

While fully automated vehicles (AVs) have not yet reached the roads, the work to get them market-ready is steadily moving forward. One of the essential technologies these vehicles rely on for safety and performance is lidar, which has traditionally experienced a loss of accuracy in bad weather.

Continue reading Helping automated vehicles ‘see’ through fog and snow

Are we ready for CAVs?

Thousand-mile trek collects data on Minnesota’s readiness for automated vehicles

How ready is Minnesota for connected and automated vehicles (CAVs)? Last August, researchers took a four-day, 1,086-mile trip around the state to find out. A newly published report details the team’s findings for transportation professionals and agencies as they consider how to make improvements to our transportation infrastructure for automated vehicles and driving.

Continue reading Are we ready for CAVs?

CTS Joins U-M in CAV Study

CTS joins University of Michigan team awarded $15 million for study.

The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) has awarded $15 million to the University of Michigan and a team of nine Midwestern research partners—including CTS—to help lead the transition to connected and automated vehicles (CAVs).

Continue reading CTS Joins U-M in CAV Study

Paving the way for smarter and safer AVs

This article was originally posted on Catalyst, January 2023.

There’s been a lot of progress toward self-driving cars in recent years, but we still have a long way to go before the system runs like a well-oiled machine. Even with all the advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning, automated vehicles (AVs) are still not well-equipped to handle crashes, bad weather, poor visibility, and other unexpected situations on the road.

Continue reading Paving the way for smarter and safer AVs

Automated Vehicles Could Increase Accessibility for Twin Cities East Metro

This article was originally published in Catalyst, August 2022.

Connected and automated vehicle (CAV) technology is moving forward, with three pilot shuttle projects on tap in Minnesota this year alone. Rapid developments are leaving little time for planners and policymakers to prepare for the mainstreaming of technology and the evolution of the current transportation system—all while ensuring that transportation equity has a seat in the vehicle.

Continue reading Automated Vehicles Could Increase Accessibility for Twin Cities East Metro

Could remote drivers be the future of ride-hailing?

This article was originally published in Catalyst, August 2022.

A new technology combining nearly autonomous vehicles with remote “tele-operators” has the potential to overcome both the technological and societal hurdles posed by driverless vehicles. Ride-hailing providers will be an important application for remote-driving technology, and U of M researchers found it offers clear advantages for companies and their customers.

Continue reading Could remote drivers be the future of ride-hailing?

Adding Autonomous Vehicles to Ride-Hailing Fleets Could Benefit Platforms and Drivers

This article was originally published in Catalyst, February 2022.

In recent work, researchers in the U’s Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISyE) examined one potentially important application of autonomous vehicle (AV) technology: ride hailing.

Continue reading Adding Autonomous Vehicles to Ride-Hailing Fleets Could Benefit Platforms and Drivers

New Project: Designing An Autonomous Service to Cover Transit Last Mile in Low-Density Areas

Public transportation provides a safe, convenient, affordable, and eco‐friendly mobility service. However, due to its fixed routes and limited network coverage, it is sometimes difficult or impossible for passengers to walk from a transit stop to their destination. This inaccessibility problem is also known as the “transit last mile connectivity problem”.

Continue reading New Project: Designing An Autonomous Service to Cover Transit Last Mile in Low-Density Areas