Center for Connected and Automated Transportation
In 2023, the Center for Transportation Studies joined the Center for Connected and Automated Transportation (CCAT), the USDOT’s Region 5 University Transportation Center, as one of three new partners. Led by the University of Michigan, CCAT is a consortium of nine institutions conducting research to address comprehensive transportation safety, congestion, connected vehicles, connected infrastructure, and autonomous vehicles.
Grand Rapids goMARTI Shuttle Pilot
The MnCAV Ecosystem is partnering with the Minnesota Department of Transportation, May Mobility, The PLUM Catalyst, and many others on the goMARTI project, an 18-month self-driving shuttle pilot in Grand Rapids, MN. The project's goal is to increase accessibility and transportation options for residents and visitors.
During the pilot, MnCAV Ecosystem affiliated researchers Tom Fisher and Frank Douma will be conducting several research efforts. Fisher and his team will be exploring the potential for mobility hubs at shuttle stops. Douma will be evaluating community engagement efforts and documenting the innovations and collaborations that took place to enable the project's implementation.
VSI Labs
The MnCAV Ecosystem is working with Minnesota-based VSI Labs toward a shared goal of establishing the MnCAV vehicle as a robust platform for research and demonstration. VSI Labs brings years of experience working with its own connected and automated vehicles along with technical expertise in CAV software, hardware, and connectivity technologies. VSI Labs will build on this experience to develop documentation and instructional materials, provide software, and integrate hardware to expand the functionality of the vehicle.
In August 2022, VSI took part in Drive MN, during which a team of partners piloted two research CAVs (the MnCAV Ecosystem’s vehicle and a VSI Lab vehicle) to collect data about the state’s roadway infrastructure.