Skip to main content

Three US states form 'Smart Belt Coalition' on connected vehicles

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) have formed the Smart Belt Coalition, a collaboration with transportation agencies in Ohio and Michigan that will focus on automated and connected vehicle initiatives. With similar climates, commercial truck traffic and active work on these technologies in the participating states, the coalition, which includes transportation and academic partners, will be a resource for transportation stakeholders and the
January 18, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
The 6111 Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) have formed the Smart Belt Coalition, a collaboration with transportation agencies in Ohio and Michigan that will focus on automated and connected vehicle initiatives.

With similar climates, commercial truck traffic and active work on these technologies in the participating states, the coalition, which includes transportation and academic partners, will be a resource for transportation stakeholders and the private sector alike.

It is developing its strategic plan which initially focuses on connected and automated applications in work zones, including uniform work-zone scenarios offering consistency for testers as well as technologies offering better information to motorists. It will also research commercial freight opportunities in testing, including platooning and potential coordination on interstates, as well as incident management applications providing better information to and infrastructure for emergency responders and other agencies.

Moving forward, the coalition will finalise a strategic plan outlining the framework for participants and opportunities for private-sector testers.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Transurban and partners host automated and connected vehicle tests
    October 20, 2015
    Transurban recently partnered with Virginia Tech Transportation Institute on their automated and connected vehicle technology road test on the 95 Express Lanes in Northern Virginia. The ten-mile test, part of the Virginia Automated Corridors and Virginia Connected Corridors initiatives, was conducted by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, the Virginia Department of Transportation, and Transurban, which operates the Express Lanes. The test took place when the 95 Express Lanes were closed to th
  • New Guideline helps states better collect crash data
    July 3, 2012
    The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) in the US has announced that the 4th Edition of the Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria (MMUCC) Guideline has been posted online at www.mmucc.us. The voluntary guideline helps states determine what data to collect at the scene of a motor vehicle crash. The Guideline will, among other things, help states better capture data for emerging issues such as distracted driving, secondary crashes and incidents on private property as well as determine the level of seri
  • Connected Vehicle Technology Demonstration
    May 1, 2012
    Connected Vehicle Cooperative Safety Systems use 5.9 GHz Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) to enable vehicle active safety systems which may help drivers avoid crashes. The United States Department of Transportation (US DOT) has partnered with the Crash Avoidance Metrics Partnership (CAMP) Vehicle Safety Communications 3 (VSC3) Consortium to research, develop and test the technologies that form the framework for these systems.
  • World Congress rewards outstanding ITS
    September 9, 2014
    Tradition dictates that the ITS World Congress is the setting for a variety of award presentations, and 2014 is no exception. During the glittering 2014 ITS World Congress opening ceremony the first of a series of awards was presented with São Paulo’s Municipal Department of Transport receiving the MobiPrize Enterprising City/State Award.