INDIANAPOLIS — The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is awarding a team including INDOT, Transportation Research Center, Inc. (TRC), Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and Drive Ohio $4.4 million for the Interstate 70 (I-70) Truck Automation Corridor project through the Advanced Transportation and Congestion Management Technologies Deployment (ATCMTD) Program.
The I-70 Truck Automation Corridor project will deploy smart logistics solutions along a stretch of I-70 between Indianapolis and Columbus, Ohio. This multistate approach, along with participation from technology providers, truck manufacturers, regional logistics councils and private freight companies, makes this project unique. With partners contributing $4.5 million in matching funds, the total investment in this project will be $8.9 million.
The project will provide freight companies and truck automation vendors an opportunity to deploy partially automated driving technology in daily “revenue service” operations on I-70 between Indianapolis and Columbus. Offering professional driver training for host fleets and performing an automation audit of I-70, the data the TRC collects will provide DOT partners with the insights they need to ensure their roadways are ready for partially automated vehicles. During public road testing, a professional driver will be at the wheel always should human intervention be needed. The project data gathered will be shared with USDOT to inform the development of policies and procedures to scale across the United States.