ITE believes strongly that the development of solutions and technology such as connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) are an important element in achieving “Vision Zero” - an international movement to end fatalities on our roadways. More than 40,000 people die each year on America’s highways and 1.25 million people die worldwide. This is unacceptable. Vision Zero must be our goal.
ITE has created a CAV Steering Committee, under the leadership of our TSMO Council. The CAV Committee meets regularly, is responsible for helping form policy responses for national and federal requests, conducts webinars on technical challenges, represents ITE in national committees, and creates documents of interest such as quick bites and technical briefs.
A key component toward meeting the Vision Zero goal is enabling Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communications. Cooperative systems achieved through communication between vehicles, infrastructure, and other users will provide an enhanced layer of safety and must be advanced. This ability to communicate will be essential for extending the range of vehicle-based sensing and achieving the full potential of safety benefits envisioned by CAVs.
ITE has been a vocal supporter of retaining dedicated spectrum in the 5.9 GHz spectrum for exclusive use in connected vehicle applications. With guidance from our CAV Standing Committee, ITE has responded to several proposed rulemaking dockets from the FCC and USDOT.
ITE is also actively engaged with other partner associations in helping keep an emphasis on development and deployment of V2X technologies, encouraging the USDOT to provide federal leadership and helping develop a national vision and deployment plan for V2X.
ITE is one of three associations that lead the Cooperative Automated Transportation Coalition. V2X is a major element of this coalition, in addition to keeping a focus on future vehicle automation as well.
Automated vehicles are those in which at least some aspect of a safety-critical control function (e.g., steering, throttle, or braking) occurs without direct driver input. Automation has the potential to significantly impact our driving safety, personal mobility, energy consumption, operating efficiency, environmental sustainability, and land use.
More broadly, vehicle automation can be targeted across specific vehicle types beyond consumer passenger vehicles; such as movement of long-haul freight, middle-mile freight movement, last-mile package delivery, robo-taxi services, public transit automation, and purpose-built low-speed automated shuttles for campuses and business parks.
ITE’s CAV Standing Committee also addresses vehicle automation issues as well, and in particular how these various use case scenarios will impact local and municipal transportation agencies – which represent a large portion of ITE’s membership.