Automated Vehicles (AV) are part of the disruptive technologies within our transportation system, and they show great potential for reducing crashes and fatalities. There are dozens of pilots and demonstrations nationwide and we expect this to be an increasing part of our transportation future. States are a significant part of developing AV policy, infrastructure and operations. There are common questions and needs for states and collectively they can leverage funding and thinking to research priority items and accelerate progress. With this background, the pooled fund study entitled “Automated Vehicle Research Program” is proposed to provide a means to conduct the research necessary for State DOTs to play their appropriate role in advancing transportation safety using Autonomous Vehicles. The concept of this pooled fund will be to align the needs of the AV Industry with the abilities of the state DOTs to assist with those needs. It is recognized that freight may be one of the initial drivers of some of these conversations, as logistics companies are a very small market and thus may be easier to implement and provide lessons learned to the other markets.

Through this pooled fund, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) will work with federal and state departments of transportation to establish multiple projects to research vehicle-roadway interaction including data failures and mitigation methods, identify and define standards, and encourage interoperability across state borders.

The pooled fund study will focus on the following: • Independently research and address issues that will affect the deployment of Automated Vehicle systems by state transportation agencies • Support AASHTO’s Strategic and Deployment Plans • Support USDOT’s Automated Vehicle Policy

It is recommended that each state commit to the study for five years at $50,000 per year making a total commitment of $250,000 per state. To start the study it is recommended that at least five states commit to the study.