Day: December 7, 2017

Central Florida recently received a grant for testing autonomous vehicles. The state is just the latest among a list which have their own testing sites for self-driving cars. Other states that host testing sites for this bold idea include Rhode Island, New York, Michigan, and California, among others.

Worth $11.9 million, the grant aims to test several new technologies for smart city transportation. The Federal Highway Administration (FHA) funded the project for teams from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), the University of Central Florida (UCF), and MetroPlan Orlando to make recommendations based on the project results. The project objective is to address Central Florida’s transportation challenges, including minimizing traffic-related accidents and fatalities, traffic congestion, and commuter access to transportation.

The grant is part of the Advanced Transportation and Congestion Management Technologies Deployment (ATCMTD) totaling $54 million for 10 bold innovations. It was the largest single grant in the list and is the only Florida project.

Along with a $90 million project to build an 8-lane test track, this puts Central Florida in the forefront of autonomously-driven vehicle testing. Called the SunTrax, it is a partnership between the FDOT and the Florida Polytechnic University. Located 40 miles southwest of Orlando, the SunTrax research track covers 400 acres. The planned construction has a 200-acre infield complete with a learning laboratory, simulated city, suburban and rural roads, intersections complete with signals, interchange ramps, and roundabouts. The university has separate project with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) which will also make use of the SunTrax facilities.

Upcoming UCF Projects

The UCF projects has four tech systems components, for deployment from 2018 to 2019, with operation and maintenance to continue up to 2021. The tests will start by 2019 at Orlando’s Creative Village, the location of UCF Downtown, along with the UCF main Orlando campus. The research project expansion will follow with deployment to the rest of Central Florida.

1. PedSafe. The system aims to help pedestrians and bicycle riders. This is a collision avoidance system alerting drivers when pedestrians and cyclists are in the area. The system uses smart traffic signals to ensure that pedestrians have enough time to cross the road.
2. GreenWay. Using sensors and new technology, this helps the transportation system adapt to real-time traffic conditions. The system’s goal is to reduce congestion and help facilitate consistent travel times. Tools include adaptive traffic signals, advanced traffic light timing, and assist parking availability in a garage.
3. SmartCommunity. Combining information from different transportation options into a central repository allows people to access the information and help them plan their trips. Information for driving, bus transport, trains, and ridesharing utilities are available.
4. SunStore. The FDOT’s central data storage for all the above transportation systems and used for management and operations information. With diverse technologies available for commuters and vehicles, the data stream is a continuous flow. SunStore data is from different connected sources, and integrated for the FDOT to make it available to universities, research laboratories, and businesses for more traffic innovations.

Together, these projects are set to make a bold impact in the transportation industry.

Detroit, home of the American automobile industry, is where big names in car manufacturing built their homes. The infrastructure is still there, even if a lot of the manufacturing is now done in other states. One of the reasons for this is economics. If the auto industry does not drastically change their focus, and adapt to trends and technology, the industry itself will be left behind to die a certain death.

The auto industry is playing catch up with the electric vehicle (EV) trend, with newer companies grabbing headlines for electric vehicles. Michigan is not too late in the game, and it can still lead in EV production provided it has the support of regulators, policymakers, electric companies and other businesses.

A recent study by M.J. Bradley & Associates showed a potential for EV production in Michigan, as well as savings for consumers. According to Brian Jones, M.J. Bradley senior vice president, the study estimated costs and benefits of increased use of EVs in Michigan. He said that the high projections are achievable if the various stakeholders including utility companies, government regulators, and consumers continue to adopt EV use.

Charles Griffith, the Climate and Energy Program Director for the Ecology Center, said that “the benefits of electric vehicles for Michigan are significant – especially when it comes to the potential for new auto sector jobs and protecting our air, land and Great Lakes.”

Bloomberg Study

The study reported “moderate” to “high” values for variables in scenarios used by Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) and Bloomberg. Bloomberg estimated that by 2050, around 55.7% of all vehicles including passenger cars, trucks, and other vehicles in the state are electric powered.

The report findings point out that cumulative benefits from EV adoption by 2050 include:

• electricity bills reduction for all utility customers ranging from $800 million to $2.6 billion;
• compared to gasoline-powered vehicles, savings due to EV ownership are from $6.3 billion to $23.2 billion;
• reduced pollution benefits range from $1.5 billion to $5.7 billion.

Other potential benefits include:

• between 138.6 million and 243.6 million gallons of gasoline saved annually; and
• reduced greenhouse gas emissions of 1.9 million tons up to 7.7 million tons.

Vehicle Adoption

In order for Michigan to reclaim the lead in automobile production, specifically electric vehicle manufacturing, it has to address several things: vehicle charging, consumer education, and identifying and meeting challenges to mobility.

Vehicle charging is the fuel to adopting EV. Putting up more charging stations would motivate buyers to choose EVs. The cost of charging should also be affordable. Utilities and regulators have to collaborate to ensure an adequate charging infrastructure at fair rates.

Related with charging stations, utility companies should educate consumers about the costs and benefits of an EV. This can expand the market further and lead to faster adoption. EVs are easier to maintain and they have less moving parts. Some cars do not have any maintenance checks until they reach 100,000 miles.

Lastly, EVs are new technology, which means there are emerging challenges. These include mobility issues for the whole population, and these need to be addressed by partnerships between the public and other stakeholders. It is also necessary to discuss advanced transportation issues like driverless vehicles and ride sharing.

Electric vehicles are the future, and are already growing in popularity. The earlier that Michigan addresses how to take advantage of this opportunity, the better it is for the state and its citizens.