Skip to main content

Virginia Automated Corridors unveiled

The Virginia Automated Corridors, a new initiative that its developers claim will revolutionise the development and deployment of automated vehicles, has been unveiled on more than 70 miles of interstates and arterial roads in the Northern Virginia region. The Corridors were established by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute in partnership with the Virginia Department of Transportation; the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles; Transurban; and Here, Nokia’s mapping business in support of the tran
June 3, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
The Virginia Automated Corridors, a new initiative that its developers claim will revolutionise the development and deployment of automated vehicles, has been unveiled on more than 70 miles of interstates and arterial roads in the Northern Virginia region.

The Corridors were established by the 5593 Virginia Tech Transportation Institute in partnership with the 1747 Virginia Department of Transportation; the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles; 600 Transurban; and 7643 Here, 183 Nokia’s mapping business in support of the transportation institute’s automated vehicle research.

The corridors include Interstates 66, 495, and 95, as well as state routes 29 and 50, roads which compose one of the most congested corridors in the US, with multiple transportation challenges that could be mitigated through the use of automation, including congestion. The corridors also include two test-track environments: the Virginia Smart Road, located on-site at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute; and the Virginia International Raceway.

The Virginia Automated Corridors integrate a range of resources, including access to dedicated high-occupancy toll lanes managed by Transurban along Interstates 495 and 95; high-definition mapping capabilities, real-time traffic and incidents, intelligent routing, and location cloud technology supported by Here, which has worked with major automakers on previous automated-vehicle projects; pavement markings maintained by the Virginia Department of Transportation for completeness and retro-reflectivity; accurate localisation via high-precision global navigation satellite systems; connected-vehicle capabilities enabled by dedicated short-range communications and cellular technology; access to sophisticated, unobtrusive data acquisition systems; and operations at higher speeds along a test track that features complex curves.

The corridors will help facilitate the use of state roads and test facilities for automated-vehicle testing, certification, and migration towards deployment.

“Next-generation vehicle technologies can help transform our transportation system, from enhancing safety to supporting driver convenience,” said Tom Dingus, director of the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. “Our goal with the Virginia Automated Corridors is to ensure automated-vehicle developers and suppliers have access to both a robust roadway environment and significant research support to create, test, and deploy systems that are beneficial to users.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • TransCore develops nearly 100 miles of express lanes in Dallas/Fort Worth
    November 8, 2016
    TransCore is in the midst of deploying over 100 miles of express lanes throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, as part of an initiative to increase mobility along the region’s busiest corridors. With 34 lanes already operational, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) plans to mark the 100-mile milestone by the end of 2018.
  • Autonomous vehicle takes to the road in UK
    April 5, 2017
    An autonomous shuttle is to take to the road as part of the UK GATEway Project (Greenwich Automated Transport Environment) research into public acceptance of, and attitudes towards, driverless vehicles. In the latest phase of the GATEway Project a prototype shuttle will begin driverless navigation of a 2km route around the Greenwich Peninsula, using advanced sensors and state-of-the-art autonomy software to detect and avoid obstacles whilst carrying members of the public participating in the research stu
  • 2013 Best of ITS awards finalists announced
    March 22, 2013
    The Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America) today announced the list of finalists for the 2013 Best of ITS Awards, a highly competitive program which recognises the most innovative projects and influential achievements in the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) industry. Winners will be announced during the Opening Plenary session of the 23rd ITS America Annual Meeting and Exposition on Monday 22April 2013 from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center i
  • US DOT issues guidelines for automated vehicles
    September 21, 2016
    The US Department of Transportation is issuing Federal policy for automated vehicles, laying a path for the safe testing and deployment of new auto technologies that have enormous potential for improving safety and mobility for Americans on the road. “Automated vehicles have the potential to save thousands of lives, driving the single biggest leap in road safety that our country has ever taken,” said US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “This policy is an unprecedented step by the federal government