Abstract for presentation (Poster or Podium)
Intelligent Transportation Systems
Wayne Sarasua, n/a
Associate Professor
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
CLEMSON, South Carolina, United States
Jidong J. Yang, PhD
Associate Professor
University of Georgia
Athens, GA, United States
Mashrur Chowdhury, n/a
Eugene Douglas Mays Chair of Transportation
Clemson University
Clemson, South Carolina, United States
Linbing Wang, Ph.D., P.E.
Professor
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia, United States
Hossein Sarrafzadeh, Ph.D.
University Distinguished Professor
NC A&T
Greensboro, North Carolina, United States
Evangelos I. Kaisar, PhD (he/him/his)
Professor
Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL, United States
Mi geum Chorzepa, n/a
Associate professor
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia, United States
Wayne Sarasua, n/a
Associate Professor
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
CLEMSON, South Carolina, United States
According to the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 43% of all roadway fatalities occur on rural roads, although only 19% of the US population lives in rural areas. This is largely due to unique challenges associated with rural roads (e.g., varying roadway geometrics, frequent animal crossings, reduced cell phone and communication coverage). This presentation discusses a project being conducted by a research team from the FHWA sponsored Center for Regional and Rural Connected Communities (CR2C2). The project addresses challenges with rural roads to improve safety by leveraging enhanced network connectivity, integrated multi-source data, improved analytics, and secure, optimally built connected infrastructure. A conceptual framework and system architecture is presented that makes use of Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I), secure data sharing techniques, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, data transport drones, networked sensors, and computer vision. The project is currently in its first year. A prototype will be developed beginning in year two. Project outcomes include using connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) as mobile sensing probes and connected smart infrastructure with low-cost sensors to acquire location specific data that can be used for advance warning of pedestrians and bicyclists, animals, stopped vehicles, highway curves, and other potentially hazardous roadway conditions. These detection and warning systems will generate warning messages that will be sent to nearby vehicles via Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X). One or more of the prototype applications will be presented.