Roadmap for Advancing TSAG Recommendations

Roadmap for Advancing TSAG Recommendations

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Roadmap for Advancing TSAG Recommendations

July 28, 2021

Transportation Safety Advancement Group (TSAG) Roadmap for Advancing TSAG Recommendations

Background

The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office (ITS JPO) established the Transportation Safety Advancement Group (TSAG) to provide important input to the USDOT ITS JPO on technology applications that address the nation's surface transportation safety challenges, specifically looking at the needs of public safety responders and promoting new and emerging technology solutions.

The ITS JPO focuses on intelligent vehicles, intelligent infrastructure, and the advancement of safe and efficient transportation systems through connectivity between and among transportation system components. The USDOT ITS JPO sponsored and chartered TSAG and supports the advancement of ITS applications through investment in major initiatives, exploratory research, and deployment support. The ITS JPO pursues its goals through research and development, operational testing, technology transfer, training, and technical guidance, particularly in the areas of intelligent vehicles, advanced traffic and transit management, commercial vehicle operations, public safety, traveler information, and inter-modal freight.

Over the past three years, TSAG developed several white papers on emerging and evolving technologies related to public safety responders on roadway incidents. A number of recommendations were outlined in the white papers to advance the knowledge, understanding, acceptance, and development of these technologies. The recommendations include additional research needs, pilot or demonstration projects, and increased Federal support for the implementation and adoption of these technologies.

The recent decision to discontinue ITS JPO sponsorship of TSAG necessitated the documentation of TSAG findings and recommendations to continue the ITS JPO's commitment to identifying and advancing technologies that enhance the safety of public safety responders and the traveling public. This Roadmap for Advancing TSAG Recommendations was developed to document the recommendations and provide direction for advancing TSAG's priorities. It includes a summary of recent TSAG whitepapers and specific activities and deliverables needed to support and advance their recommendations, including identifying potential lead agencies, priority, and proposed timeframe.

Included in this document are summaries of the following TSAG products:

• Advanced Automatic Collision Notification (AACN) White Paper
• Infrastructure to Responder (I2R) Technical Memorandum and White Paper
• TMC-PSAP Integration White Paper
• CV/AV Needs Specific to Emergency Response White Paper

In each of these products, TSAG worked to identify the opportunities for advancing technologies that support public safety, the challenges faced in addressing these technologies, and recommendations on how new and emerging technologies can be advanced.

Advanced Automatic Collision Notification (AACN)

Advanced Automatic Collision Notification (AACN) captures crash data from vehicle collisions in real time and sends the information to emergency responders, alerting responders of the location and nature of the crash so they can respond more quickly with the appropriate equipment. AACN can improve patient outcomes and save lives through rapid communication and vehicle location to decrease response time by emergency responders; predict injury severity in vehicle crashes; and quickly identify, diagnose, transport, and treat injuries. AACN can improve real-time patient information through automated sharing of vehicle crash data and offers predictive analysis based on vehicle data.

While AACN technology currently exists, there are limitations on its use and usefulness. For example, OnStar pairs crash information to predict injury severity but does not share the information when providing a verbal relay of information to public safety answering points (PSAP). Other commercial examples of AACN services include Ford 911 Assist and SiriusXM. Current technology provides an opportunity to benefit responders, victims, and downstream medical care but the culture and processes are not in place to take full advantage of the technology. Limitations to AACN applications are often due to institutional and technological obstacles.

Benefits

Studies of national crash data indicate that AACN offers benefits to faster and more accurate identification of crashes and crash location through global positioning services (GPS), early notification of 911 PSAPs when there are no witnesses and the involved parties are unable to call 911, reduced response times, improved response resource allocation, faster field triage decisions, and reduced transport time. Research published in the journal Prehospital and Disaster Medicine shows that demographic and vehicle crash data can be used to create models that predict the likelihood of severe injury and improve patient outcomes (Plevin, Robert Kaufman, Laura Fraade-Blanar, & Eileen M. Bulger, 2017).

This research looked at crash data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN), police-reported crashes in the Fatal Analysis Reporting System (FARS), and national crash data in the National Automotive Sampling System Crashworthiness Data System (NASS CDS) and found that "longer crash-notification times were associated with an increased likelihood of a patient being taken to a local hospital and later transferred to a trauma center for a higher level of care, and involved more invasive procedures performed in the first three hours of arrival at a trauma center." They also found that data in NASS CDS showed that beyond a 30-minute crash notification threshold, the likelihood of death with each additional minute of crash notification time increases significantly. Further, crash notification times were higher in rural areas than urban areas and were associated with a higher rate of fatality. These findings support the importance of early crash notification facilitated by AACN.

Vehicle telemetry data in AACN are used to predict injury severity based on the change in velocity of the vehicle on impact, multiple impacts, seatbelt usage, type of vehicle, and direction of force. Early, automated notification to the 911 PSAP with GPS-based location information can reduce response time and get the right equipment to the scene to support the extrication and transport of patients. Knowing the location and severity of impact can get the right response to the right location and support transport decisions to get the right patient to the right hospital by the right transport mode. The enhanced information and predictive algorithms have been shown to save lives in motor vehicle crashes.

Healthcare savings associated with advance patient reporting are the result of getting the patient the right care, at the right facility, at the right time. AACN may decrease mortality from a crash through early notification, helping responders determine the need for specialized equipment, and quick patient transfer to the appropriate medical facility or trauma center (Plevin, Robert Kaufman, Laura Fraade-Blanar, & Eileen M. Bulger, 2017). By relaying pertinent information, quick response with the right personnel and equipment, and appropriate definitive care saves lives and money. From the responder side, knowing more information up front allows agencies to dispatch the right equipment for the call, improving outcomes and providing financial savings through appropriate resource allocation. AACN also supports time-critical decisions such as specialized response equipment or trauma center notification.

Current and Future Opportunities

Automatic Crash Notification (ACN) provides basic vehicle crash information, generally airbag deployment and location, through voice services from a call taker in a service center to a PSAP following the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials/National Emergency Number Association (APCO/NENA) interface protocols. Advanced Automatic Crash Notification (AACN) includes additional information from vehicle sensors to improve and enhance response. With an evolution to NextGen 911 (NG911), the system will be able to transmit voice and data at the same time and support video. NG-AACN calls are NG911 calls with extensions for AACN. With NG-AACN, vehicles will be able to transmit location and crash data as part of the call setup, allowing data to be displayed to the PSAP call taker using NG911 architecture. The call taker will also be able to request updated data from the vehicle during the call, send action requests to the vehicle, and request vehicle camera feeds. With NG911, data transmission does not interrupt the talk path.

As AACN evolves to NG-AACN, the PSAP interface will be standardized, allowing faster call processing and simplifying call handling. Standards will support equal access and advanced call routing. The goal is to support enhanced information sharing with first responders using FirstNet, as FirstNet uses the same protocols and standards as NG-AACN and NG911. FirstNet was authorized by the U.S. Congress in 2012 to develop, build, and operate a nationwide broadband network for first responders. FirstNet is intended to cross jurisdictional communications networks to provide high-speed data and location information, including video and images, giving priority to public safety personnel during emergencies. With the evolution of AACN, FirstNet may offer direct transmission of AACN data to responders, providing fast, life-saving information in the field.

New vehicles have the capacity to send data to support emergency response. The vehicle emergency data set (VEDS) is defined jointly by NENA and APCO. As vehicles advance, new data sets can be defined without interfering with deployed systems. The data can be configured to meet the needs of individual users. NG-AACN information can be provided in a standard way or be configured for PSAP preferences to include more data or hide data for those not needing access. For example, patient records could be hidden from call takers but available to emergency medical services (EMS) responders and trauma physicians. Beyond enhanced EMS, there are a number of advantages AACN offers to other emergency responders. Vehicle telemetry can also be provided to traffic management centers to help identify the location and direction of travel of a crash and provide an indication of severity and potential impact to the roadway system.

A study conducted by trauma physicians in 2010, led by the Center for Disease Control's (CDC) Rick Hunt, focused on developing an injury severity algorithm using vehicle telemetry and demographic data. Such algorithms can be used with AACN to predict and transmit injury severity predictions to PSAPS. Currently, vehicle manufacturers have developed different algorithms. For effective integration of AACN into PSAP and emergency response systems, the data and algorithms should be open and applied in a consistent manner.

Connected and automated vehicles (CAV) can benefit from the inclusion of AACN. As vehicles become more automated and rely less on drivers responsible for decision making and control, safety functions such as those provided through AACN should be fully integrated into the vehicle. A fully automated vehicle may be carrying children, elderly, or other passengers unable to initiate an emergency call in the event of a crash. AACN, available today and evolving to provide increasingly better information through vehicle telemetry, should be considered a fundamental safety function of CAV technology. CAV generally include advanced communications capabilities and vehicle telemetry, making the inclusion of AACN a minor expense with a significant public safety benefit.

Effective March 31, 2018, all new cars and light vans sold in the European Union must be fitted with eCall devices. These eCall devices include a minimum set of data (location, fuel type, airbag deployment) to alert rescue services of a crash. In the event of a crash, eCall not only sends this information, it establishes a phone connection to the appropriate emergency call center. The service is automated by a crash or can be actuated manually, for example by a witness reporting a crash. The minimal data set and service are included with all new vehicles with no service fee, which has resulted in advancements of ACN not seen in North America. Studies indicate that eCall can improve response time in urban areas by 40 percent and by 50 percent in rural areas. They estimate a 4 percent or more reduction in the number of fatalities and a 6 percent reduction in the number of severe injuries. Global automakers selling vehicles in Europe must meet eCall requirements. This requirement has not translated to the U.S., where there are different protocols but similar data sets (European Global Navigation Satellite Systems Agency (GSA), 2018). Although North America led the way in AACN, the new requirements and high saturation levels anticipated from the new European regulations are moving Europe past the US and Canada.

Challenges to AACN Implementation

Challenges to the implementation and widespread use of AACN include technical, institutional, and cultural challenges; in some cases, issues may cross two or more of these categories. For example, the current OnStar model of a separate call center arose to address the technical challenges of sharing data directly with PSAPs and the additional workload associated with taking calls from the OnStar system. In some cases, there is a resistance on the part of vehicle manufacturers to share personal or proprietary data directly with a PSAP even if the technical issues are overcome. The separate call center model solves these issues but creates delays and gaps in information being relayed to responders as a result of technical, institutional, and cultural considerations.

Different systems exist today among vehicle manufacturers, each with different PSAP interfaces and operational interactions. Some of these issues could be overcome with standard message sets and NG911 technology. Many PSAPs see AACN as a complication that adds time to the current PSAP functions. Within PSAPs, there are call-taking, processing, and dispatch functions. Information available through AACN may create additional activities for PSAP personnel, causing some resistance to its use.

This could be overcome through training and the realization of benefits in automated information, reducing delay that can come from having to communicate with the driver or with a separate call center. It is also important that the AACN system not be a separate system in the PSAP to reduce extra work and training. Another workload concern by call takers relates to false positive activations, which is currently addressed by having separate AACN call centers. PSAPs also do not want to receive raw crash data and would prefer information on a scale that predicts the risk of severe injury and the need for extrication.

One of the significant challenges to fully implementing AACN is gaining the support from EMS and the medical directors who write the protocols that institutionalize AACN use. Most medical directors have not modified response protocols to take crash data and relay it to responders. To this end, it is essential to build awareness of the benefits of AACN and provide evidence-based research and support in the form of model language and documented outcome improvements. Related to response protocols and responder training, there is a concern with how responders use the additional information effectively. Specifically, responder tunnel vision based on advance information has been identified as an issue. This can be overcome through protocols and training.

Vehicle manufacturers use different algorithms to predict injury severity. With the exception of General Motors, who has published its algorithms, vehicle manufacturers' algorithms are proprietary. There is a sensitivity by most manufacturers to sharing data openly, which limits data availability and algorithm validation. Without a consistent approach to data points, data sharing, and injury severity prediction algorithms, it is difficult to build a robust use of AACN.

Another challenge to full deployment of AACN is the transition to NG911. During the transition to NG911, systems will need to support both circuit-based and nextgen technology. Without adequate investment in NG911, it will be difficult to transmit information to agencies. It is also important to overcome issues related to cost sensitivity by auto manufacturers and consumers. Without Federal requirements or incentives, such as inclusion in the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), auto manufacturers are resistant to including additional features. On the consumer end, the subscription model also reduces saturation of AACN with less than half of consumers renewing subscriptions after the initial free period of service.

Recommendations and Research Needs

A research project managed by the American College of Emergency Physicians and the National Association of EMS Physicians, funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration focused on developing and disseminating online educational training on the benefits of AACN in improving patient outcomes for motor vehicle crashes. "The training program will include information on the biomechanics of crash injuries and how crash data are used to predict injury severity. After a crash, electronic data transmitted via AACN can be to inform EMS dispatch and triage decisions." (Is Your System Using AACN Data?, 2017)

AACN was incorporated in the Guidelines for Field Triage of Injured Patients protocol in 2011, with the addition of guidelines for predicting injury severity based on vehicle telematics data in 2012. For this to be fully integrated into field response, standardized data sets, modified response protocols, and call taker and responders training are all essential. Similarly, pilot studies are needed to test effectiveness and engage the larger stakeholder community in an evidence-based study. A Federal effort is needed to support modification of response protocols with medical directors, providing sample language and training materials. Continued investment in NG911 is also necessary for full deployment of AACN.

At the national level, the recognition of AACN in NCAP Ratings would encourage auto manufacturers to include AACN in new models to enhance their ratings and marketing. This would not be as strong as a Federal requirement to provide AACN technology, as the European Union has done with eCall, but it would certainly be a step toward nationalizing this important safety technology. Federal requirements for CAV technology should include basic data sets and cellular-connected vehicles should be required to provide AACN. Additional regulations to provide standard safety message data and a service subscription for the life of the vehicle would significantly enhance transportation public safety.

Infrastructure to Responder

Infrastructure to responder (I2R) applications include responder-centric and vehicle-based infrastructure to responder applications to improve responder safety and situational awareness on the scene of highway incidents, en route to the scene, and en route to a medical receiving facility. The specific focus of I2R sits at the intersection between infrastructure to everything (I2X), vehicle to everything (V2X), and responder-centric devices.

The increasing availability of data, analytics, and connectivity can enhance the safety and situational awareness of responders to highway incidents. I2R uses information available through the emerging digital infrastructure, technology, and applications to push warnings and information to responders through handheld or worn devices and to response vehicles at, or en route to, the scene. I2R includes device-to-device and digital infrastructure to device applications. The digital infrastructure provides a connection that includes the Internet of Things (IoT), Smart Cities/Communities applications, and geospatial and off-system data that provide a foundation for scene-critical information for the operations and safety of responders.

Examples of information that could be made easily accessible to on-scene responders through I2R include the following:

• Information on the proximity of hazards (e.g., storm water inlets or hazardous materials)
• Information on change of conditions (e.g., freezing temperatures or rising water)
• Notification of structural instability or damage
• Incident scene vehicle intrusion warnings
• Response route conditions
• Damage to utility networks
• Changes to dynamic message signs
• Traffic conditions on response routes

I2R and the Digital Infrastructure

As USDOT, vehicle manufacturers, technology and application developers, and smart community planners work to support highway automation and enhanced connectivity, opportunities to support responders through I2R applications increase. A digital infrastructure that connects across civil infrastructure systems and vehicles; integrates sensing technology; collects, processes, and analyzes data; and communicates directly with responders has enormous implications for situational awareness and responder safety through the delivery of a wide variety of mission-critical information.

Infrastructure-to-everything (I2X) includes transportation sensors and communication devices that relay information to vehicles or to servers that can then process and provide the information to make decisions in real time, or identify trends for future management or planning decisions. I2X data can be direct machine-to-machine (M2M) communications or can be relayed through a network. Wireless sensor networks can be used to monitor the environment and the highway infrastructure. Current technology is largely sensor-based, relaying information from roadside units to a vehicle or other receiver. Expansion of the digital infrastructure and the migration to 5G communications provide a much broader view of I2X that includes a range of data sources and data types beyond roadside units. I2X offers an opportunity to provide data from other connected services such as the electric grid, utilities, and telecommunications services. Connected cities/communities are looking at opportunities for sharing data that can be packaged into applications for a wide range of users.

Connected vehicles are a significant driver in advancing a digital infrastructure. V2X includes connectivity between vehicles and the infrastructure (V2I), vehicles and vehicles (V2V), and vehicles and other connected objects. Research in V2X is looking at the opportunities and needs in all of these areas, including data sharing, data analytics, security, communication, and connectivity. Standard message sets are being developed to communicate between vehicles and the infrastructure or other devices. These message sets include signal phase and timing, signal status, roadside alerts, intersection collision avoidance, and other operational messages. V2V safety messages include forward collision warning, do not pass warnings, and left turn assistance. These messages can be used by responders to enhance situational awareness and safety on scene and en route. Vehicle manufacturers are pursuing connectivity using short range or broadband connected vehicle (CV) technology. Cellular V2X technology offers a flexible connectivity platform with a range of technical benefits such as longer distances, enhanced reliability, and higher data capacity. DSRC is an existing technology supported by current and planned roadside units deployed in dozens of states.

Opportunities for Future I2R

As communication networks, data analytics, integration, and data gathering improve and expand, there are opportunities for developing responder-centric applications to enhance safety on roadway incidents.

IoT

The Internet of things (IoT) includes sensors that are placed in the field to collect specific incident-related information such as traffic, weather, or structural conditions. Additional information can be collected from other connected devices that may include smart city technologies and consumer devices. As more IoT devices are employed in the public (such as personal IoT devices and sensors in and on persons in vehicles), that information can also become available in the response system.

Smart communities

As more communities take advantage of smart technology, more data will become available that can be used to enhance incident response. This may include the status of utilities in the vicinity of an incident, the location of response personnel and equipment, or infrastructure damage at the scene. By monitoring, analyzing, and sharing this information, smart communities can provide a data source for developing responder-centric applications that share physical infrastructure information with responders.

5G

One of the significant opportunities for expanding the digital infrastructure and providing new information sharing capacity lies in the evolution to 5G communications. 5G will allow much larger data streams, video sharing, and multi-functional connectivity for responders in the field. 5G enabled devices — handheld, worn, or in-vehicle — will be able to communicate more actionable information faster. Currently, 5G is being installed in a few initial cities with a national rollout of 5G over the next few years. Once in place, 5G will allow text-to-911 service, live streaming video and incident photos that can be accessed by responders in the field, access to large data sources, and enhanced communications.

Mobile cloud computing

Mobile cloud computing uses a combination of mobile computing, cloud computing, and wireless networks and offers the opportunity for data analytics and access to cloud-based data sources such as infrastructure information, traffic data, the status of medical receiving facilities, occupancy data of buildings in the event of an evacuation, and sensor data.

Edge computing

Mobile edge or multi-access edge computing (MEC) provides cloud computing capabilities at the edge of a network, including at the edge of a cellular network. It enables processing and analytics to occur closer to users, reduces congestion, and improves application performance. This allows third-party application developers and content providers to use the network, providing an opportunity for responder-focused applications to expand in the MEC distributed computing environment. Third-party applications that support the safety of traffic incident responders can take advantage of MEC to provide mission-critical information more quickly.

Challenges to Implementing I2R

There are a number of challenges to be overcome to take advantage of the emerging technological advancements that will enable I2R applications. These include both technological and institutional challenges.

Connectivity

Connectivity is essential to the full develop of I2R potential. FirstNet provides priority connectivity to its users but is dependent on current broadband wireless service, which has limitations on coverage, particularly in remote and rural areas. The evolution of 5G offers greater speed and bandwidth but is going to take time for full implementation. Because 5G requires a higher density of smaller antennae, gaps in the system in more rural areas would be filled by 4G technology until 4G is rolled up into 5G.

Data security and privacy

Security and privacy are continuing concerns with data collection, management, and distribution. Cybersecurity, evidentiary integrity, and data storage costs and management are also problematic with direct communications. These issues must be addressed to ensure acceptance of new applications by responders.

Data and network integration

With increasing sources of data from sensors and databases, an expansion of communication networks, standards, and interfaces to support interoperability are needed to integrate and share information. Public safety answering points (PSAPs) may take on an expanded role as data analytics centers, collecting, analyzing, and distributing mission critical information. This would require expanded capabilities, technology, costs, and staffing which could be supported to some degree with artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning applications to support staff in a more complex environment.

NG911

In order for sensor data or other information collected through IoT devices to be provided to responders through the PSAP, information from the devices must be sent with a 911 call. Information may include advanced automatic crash notification (AACN) data from the vehicle, photos, video, messages, and other IoT data. NG911 will allow data to be sent with 911 calls. Data sent with calls can then be sent to responders through the FirstNet system from the PSAP. In order to fully integrate data, messaging, and video in 911 calls, implementation of NG911 must be realized.

User acceptance/change management

New technology is not always welcomed in the field, particularly if it is seen as complicating response or increasing information overload. Applications must be simple enough to be easily used in the field with targeted information and push notifications. They must be sophisticated enough to process extensive information sources and provide location and incident-specific information in initial feeds, allowing users easy access to secondary information depending on change of condition or incident focus.

User acceptance will come through training, use cases, familiarity with new applications, and ease of use. It will also be necessary to modify agency standard operating procedures (SOPs) to include emerging technologies and integrate their use into training and response.

Field conditions

User interfaces that work within an incident environment present a number of challenges. Responders function in challenging and harsh environments and use personal protective equipment that may limit the use of traditional interfaces such as touch screens. It is also important that responders, PSAPs, and operations centers share data in unified displays to maximize efficiency and minimize the time needed to access mission-critical information.

Application development

To develop I2R applications that take advantage of the full range of IoT, network, and geospatial data will require an open ecosystem for application and device developers. It will also require adequate interest and demand from the response community to stimulate investment by potential developers.

Research and Development Needs

Successful integration of I2R technology into daily use on transportation incidents will require ongoing research in hardware, data collection and integration, user interfaces, and most importantly user needs to determine the most effective way to deliver mission-critical information from the digital infrastructure directly to responders on scene and en route.

Hardware

Research is needed to determine the best information delivery mechanism — handheld, body-worn, in vehicle — from the digital infrastructure to responders. Each of these three options has advantages and limitations and is more appropriate for different activities associated with incident response, on-scene command and operations activities, and transporting patients from the scene. For example, information appropriate for en route to or from an incident may appropriately be delivered in vehicle while safety alerts or time sensitive situational awareness information need to be delivered directly to response personnel through handheld or body-worn devices.

One of the greatest hardware challenges, particularly for handheld and body-worn devices is in addressing the harsh environmental conditions associated with traffic incidents (temperatures, precipitation, lighting, etc.) and user interface limitations associated with personal protective equipment (gloves, eye protection, heavy clothing, etc.). Information that needs to be delivered directly to personnel in the field must overcome these challenges to ensure information is delivered effectively.

Data integration

With increasing data sources from roadway and environmental sensors, smart community networks, geospatial databases, V2I feeds, crowdsourcing, and other connected devices, it is important to identify the full range of available data and data sources, determine the availability of data from each potential source, consider sharing restrictions (legal, institutional, structure, platform, etc.), and prioritize sources for integration.

Integrating data from the various sources will require an understanding of the disparate data structures, architectures, and collection processes to bring together data into valuable and meaningful information. This could include cloud-based collection and analytics or could be accomplished through networking various sources. It will be important to create an open data environment to allow the development of applications that can draw from all of the critical data sources.

User needs

Identifying what responders need in terms of mission critical, actionable information is essential for developing meaningful user applications. One of the challenges in determining user needs is bridging the gap between what is available now and what is possible. Users may not have a sense of the variety and depth of data currently and potentially available through the digital infrastructure. It is essential to engage the response community in exploring the opportunities available through emerging data sources and expanding communications. Without this interaction, opportunities for life saving applications will be missed and go undeveloped or unused.

In addition to understanding user needs and potential applications, it is also important to determine the best delivery mechanism for each type of information based on the role of the user, the time-sensitivity of the information, etc. Perspective on user needs and delivery options must be based on responder experience in order for new technologies and applications to be fully embraced.

User interface

User interface is also critical to acceptance and use of I2R technology. Ease of use is essential to ensure that any new devices or applications are more helpful than distracting. An extra second spent trying to access scene information is a second of delay in time-critical response. Responder interfaces must focus on providing essential information in a timely manner without extraneous data that distracts from the task at hand. Applications must avoid information overload and should be developed using artificial intelligence or machine learning to anticipate what information is critical to different users at different points in the response.

Recommended Actions

A consortium of users, network service and data providers, and application developers should be brought together to determine information needs, address technical and institutional barriers, and build support for research and development of I2R devices and applications. The consortium should include academic and research organizations, emergency communications, emergency management, emergency medical services, fire/rescue, law enforcement, technology and telematics, and transportation operations. A broad representation of interests and abilities will provide a strong foundation for exploring the challenges and opportunities of I2R to enhance situational awareness and public safety on our nation's roadways.

TMC-PSAP Integration

Traffic or transportation management centers (TMCs) are the heart of operations for most transportation agencies. They monitor and evaluate conditions on the transportation system through cameras, detectors, and other instrumentation, and they operate the system through traffic control and information distribution. TMCs often provide communication and dispatching functions for maintenance and service patrols to clear debris, respond to stranded vehicles, or support traffic incident management (TIM). Public safety answering points (PSAPs) are the communication centers for public safety response agencies, receiving 911 calls, dispatching responders and resources, and monitoring incident communications. TMCs and PSAPs provide communications, data, resources, and situational awareness functions for incidents; however, there is minimal coordination and integration of these centers in ways that can enhance and support incident response most effectively. They each use communication and data systems. TMCs generally run advanced traffic management systems (ATMS) and PSAPs run computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems, and the two systems are rarely integrated to share data and enhance agency efficiency and response effectiveness.

Types of Integration

TMC-PSAP integration may include physical integration of agencies and functions through colocation of centers, voice integration through radio and cellular communication, and integration of data through data feeds and data sharing across systems. Each of these can occur to different degrees and each provides its own set of opportunities and challenges.

Colocation

Colocation of PSAPs and TMCs provides an opportunity to increase communication and build cooperation and coordination between transportation and public safety agencies. Colocation has been implemented at the local, regional, and state levels with varying levels of effectiveness. In some cases, a DOT TMC is located in the same building as the state patrol with the intention to bring transportation operators and law enforcement together for enhanced coordination and to build relationships across the two agency cultures. In some cases, the two agencies function in the same building, on the same floor, or in a shared operations room. The more closely the agency personnel are located to each other, the greater the potential for enhanced information sharing and relationship building. Without the proper space configuration and an environment conducive to information exchange, the effectiveness of colocation varies a great deal (USDOT FHWA, 2019).

Voice integration

Voice integration between centers can include radio and telephone integration. Some agencies establish shared radio frequencies for incident information exchange and communication. Cellular communication through shared networks with the opportunity to provide priority to incident responders is in place between agencies through various cellular providers. FirstNet is an independent authority within the US Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) with a mission to ensure the building, deployment, and operation of a nationwide broadband network for emergency response. FirstNet was developed to support high-speed, wireless broadband voice and data sharing with priority communications among first responders. These are all helpful to improved, timely communication and shared information on incidents across agencies.

Data integration

Data integration between TMCs and PSAPs can provide faster notification of incidents automatically from the CAD system to the ATMS. This integration can occur at several levels of complexity, from automated incident alerts, to event record sharing, to event data integration, as discussed below.

Incident alerts

Automating incident alerts from the PSAP CAD system to the TMC can reduce the time and workload associated with activating traveler information and notifications on dynamic message signs and 511 services. Alerts to motorists can reduce incident-related congestion and secondary crashes.

View event record

Providing a one-way data feed from a CAD system to an ATMS provides more information than just an alert. The ability to view event record data in the TMC can improve situational awareness for TMC operators and allow them to pass that information to units in the field, such as service patrols or maintenance units.

Merge event records

The notification and one-way data feeds discussed above reduce the time and workload associated with notifying the TMC of roadway incidents. These generally occur through event records fed from the CAD system to the ATMS. Often, a TMC with cameras, detection devices, and dispatchers talking to field units will have generated its own event record as an incident is detected. The ability to merge CAD and ATMS event records can reduce work effort associated with entering data and the duplication of records for a single event in the ATMS.

Two-way integration

Full two-way integration would enable PSAP and TMC personnel to automatically access event data generated by operators in each center. This would include real-time data sharing between a PSAP CAD system and an ATMS or TMC system; the automatic flow of event data between systems, including updates to event information; and the ability of PSAP call takers and TMC operators to initiate event records in their systems. It would also provide the opportunity to merge events as needed to simplify event tracking. A fully integrated system would provide a single source for event data and allow public safety and transportation agencies to access the data for operational and planning analysis. Such integration would maximize information sharing and coordination between PSAPs and TMCs. It is also the most complex form of integration and faces numerous challenges, many of them are discussed in the Challenges section below.

Potential benefits

TMC-PSAP integration at any level provides enormous benefits to both the DOT and public safety agencies. Some of the benefits have been discussed in the example applications above. The following is a list of potential benefits agencies can derive from integrating centers and their systems.

Faster notification of incidents

The most commonly experienced benefit of integration is faster notification of incidents. For TMCs with limited instrumentation such as cameras, event notifications from state or local PSAPs provide quick, reliable notification of incidents on the highway system. These can be automated through CAD to ATMS feeds or can be more informal through voice or in-person notifications in colocated facilities. Notification from TMC operators to PSAPs can also inform public safety agencies of incidents detected through DOT instrumentation in a similar manner through event record sharing and alerts, voice communication, or in-person.

Improved incident response and quicker clearance

Faster notification and more reliable incident information based on incident responder updates can improve incident response and quicker clearance, improving safety for responders and the traveling public. Quick clearance reduces incident-related congestion and backups, which improves safety by reducing the potential for secondary crashes.

Reduced workload/time through automation

Each level of integration and improved communication improves efficiency. Automated notifications between centers can save staff time and workload associated with phone calls, emails, or other notifications of incidents. Systems that import records between CAD and ATMS, or allow records to be merged, can reduce workload and improve record accuracy through automated data input and sharing.

Enhanced situational awareness

Integration of information between TMCs and PSAPs can enhance situational awareness for all agencies. TMCs can provide information from their cameras, detectors, and field units through event records shared from their systems to PSAPs. Public safety responders provide incident information and updates to their PSAPs, which then update their event records that are shared with the TMC and included in geographic information system (GIS) mapping. Colocation allows interagency communication and coordination at the center that supports DOT field units and public safety responders, providing additional incident information.

Enhanced access to resources

Timely and reliable information can support better resource allocation through quicker notification to all agencies and more specific information about the type of incident, location, extent of impact to the system, and special resource needs. With the availability of critical incident information, the DOT can support public safety responders with service patrol vehicles and personnel, maintenance resources, and traffic control and diversion techniques. This can reduce the exposure of first responders on scene, reduce impacts to the traveling public, effectively allocate resources, and improve patient outcomes.

Improved communications and coordination

By sharing incident information across agencies as it becomes available, communications and coordination between the DOT and public safety agencies is enhanced. Timely data and updates from incident responders can be shared from the PSAP to the TMC through event record updates and face-to-face communications in a colocated center. This also supports enhanced relationships across agencies with different missions and cultures, creating a more collaborative environment for managing incidents.

Improved data for DOT operations and planning

Sharing incident data in real-time from CAD to an ATMS allows TMCs to track, analyze, and evaluate the impacts of incidents and incident response on the transportation system. TMCs use ATMS software to manage and operate the transportation system and CAD data can provide a real-time source for incident data and analysis, improve data to populate traveler information systems, and support system planning and investment decisions. The data can be used to identify locations and conditions that would benefit from safety projects or ITS deployments, it can help determine trends in incidents and the effectiveness of incident response and operational strategies, and it can support real-time decision making to enhance system safety and reliability.

Challenges

There are numerous challenges to implementing TMC-PSAP integration. Challenges exist in working across agencies and systems, and the challenges become more complex as the level of integration is increased. This section discusses some of the more common challenges.

System integration

Statewide or regional integration between TMCs and PSAPS often includes multiple agencies with multiple centers, TMCs and PSAPs. Particularly with PSAPs, there are state patrol/police PSAPs and county or city local public safety communications centers; and for transportation agencies there may be both state and local TMCs. Full integration between transportation and public safety operations and communications requires integration of multiple agencies, multiple centers, and multiple systems. This generally requires implementation of a centralized data hub that can import, analyze, filter, and export data needed by the different partner agencies. Starting with a filtered feed from the state patrol CAD system to the state TMC is the least complex. To include fire-rescue, EMS, and local law enforcement data in the system increases the complexity. Effective integration requires leadership, formal processes, and standards.

Data integration is challenged by the use of different systems, often commercial and proprietary, collecting and storing different data fields for different needs and applications. Bringing the data together usually requires changes to the system and the data configuration to align fields and filter data to limit sensitive information. This takes strong partnerships between agencies and coordination with system vendors.

Information overload

The purpose of system integration is to simplify and streamline the flow of information through the automation of data sharing. If this is not done effectively, TMC operators may experience the additional information as a challenge and a monitoring activity in addition to monitoring system cameras, detectors, ITS devices, radio communication with service patrol and other field units, and phone calls from staff, other agencies, and DOT customers. PSAP-generated alerts and data sent to TMC operators should be designed to enhance situational awareness and simplify, rather than complicate, operator actions (USDOT FHWA, 2019).

Data security and sensitivity

Anytime data is shared across systems there are concerns with data security. This is particularly important when the source records in public safety CAD systems include personally identifiable information (PII). Because these agencies are also connected with criminal justice information systems, care must be taken to shield crime, intelligence, and other sensitive data. Similarly, certain health and medical information about individuals is protected by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and should also be considered sensitive. Integration of TMC and PSAP systems must address data and system security issues in a way that ensures that sensitive information, such as criminal activity and personally identifiable information, is stripped from the record prior to TMC access or hidden behind a firewall.

Interagency resistance to integration

The agencies that have been most successful in integrating TMCs and PSAPs have been those with a shared appreciation for the opportunities provided through enhanced coordination and communication through integration. Cultural differences and trust issues between transportation and public safety agencies must be understood and addressed in order to advance center-to-center integration. Much of the resistance comes from a lack of understanding of the benefits integration offers and of the shared objectives between agencies. Each agency has its mission and culture, creating different perspectives and objectives in their management of incidents and incident information. Data requirements and data sensitivity, as well as the purpose and need for data collection, vary across agencies. Understanding the variations is essential to addressing the different needs for partner agencies in center integration. Issues of data governance, data retention, and responses to Freedom of Information Act data requests require clear policies and agreements.

Practice scenarios and drills are extremely helpful in bringing different agency cultures together to prepare participants for real incidents when they occur. It is also important that all agencies involved in integration follow nationally adopted incident management principles (NIMS) to establish a clear chain of command and common terminology in their response and communications.

Resources

Costs associated with TMC-PSAP integration are often a challenge to implementation. It is common to have expenses associated with system add-ons or changes to accommodate the sharing of data from the CAD system to the ATMS or vice versa. There are costs associated with data hubs used for the extraction, analysis, and sharing of data between systems, and for communications upgrades for data sharing. Colocation requires new or reconfigured facilities to accommodate all participating agencies. The cost of these investments may fall upon one agency or be shared across participating agencies. If changes are needed to the CAD system to accommodate data sharing and the DOT is willing to provide funding, there may be contracting complications across agencies that limit the ability to complete the changes.

Staffing to support integration is another important resource to consider. New applications and data integration often require additional staff capabilities for one or more agencies. The need for additional resources or capabilities can limit the effectiveness of integration or create additional costs.

Research Needs for TMC-PSAP Integration

There is a growing interest in TMC-PSAP integration to support multiagency communication, coordination, and data sharing. To support the advancement and implementation of integration, it is recommended that the USDOT develop a pilot program to support agencies interested in integration. This would include technical, institutional, and funding support to allow agencies currently integrating systems to expand their efforts and to allow agencies that have not yet initiated TMC-PSAP integration to explore opportunities to do so.

Additional research on the benefits of TMC-PSAP integration would support the development of a business case for integration, identifying the opportunities, and would address the common challenges faced by agencies interested in center-to-center integration. Opportunities to expand the use of incident data to support initiatives such as AACN pilots, connected vehicle data integration, and connected responder applications should be explored to maximize the return on investment in the integration and sharing of data across agencies.

Connected Vehicles/Automated Vehicles
and Emergency Response

Connected vehicles (CV) and automated vehicles (AV) present a number of potential challenges and opportunities to emergency response and public safety. There is a need to educate local transportation and public safety agencies on the operations of CV/AV, and to support interactions between public safety emergency responders, transportation agencies, and vehicle manufacturers to identify potential response risks and opportunities of automation. Connected vehicle technology focuses on increasing safety through interoperable wireless communication between vehicles, with the infrastructure, and with other devices.

CV/AV technology includes automated driving systems, connectivity, and system cooperation in an integrated vehicle roadway system. Connected vehicles (CV) include vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications. This communication serves as a basis for collecting and sharing information between a vehicle and its surroundings that can enhance safety and awareness of system conditions.

Automated vehicles (AV) include a range of levels of automation, from no automation of driving functions to driver assistance and partial automation up to fully automated driving. At this time, new cars generally provide a number of driver assistance technologies, such as lane control, blind spot detection, emergency braking, and parking assistance. More advanced vehicles offer partial automation. As vehicles become more automated, it is anticipated that the safety of drivers will increase as human error is removed from day-to-day driving.

Cooperative driving automation (CDA) brings together CV/AV technology into an integrated roadway system. CDA "enables automated vehicles (AVs) to communicate between vehicles, infrastructure devices, and road users such as pedestrians and cyclists... CDA also has the potential to reduce crashes caused by human error and save lives." (FHWA, Cooperative Driving Automation)

A great deal of research has been and is being done on CV/AV technology and applications with a focus on the vehicle, the user, and the system. Less has been done on the implications of CV/AV on public safety emergency response and responders in the current and future CV/AV environment.

Current Research on CV/AV and Emergency Response

USDOT is committed to researching, testing, and demonstrating connected vehicle technology to reduce injuries and deaths due to traffic crashes (there were more than 37,000 deaths from traffic crashes in 2018). CVs use communication technology to share information between vehicles, between vehicles and infrastructure, and between vehicles and other roadway users. (USDOT, How Connected Vehicles Work)

USDOT Automated Vehicles Activities

USDOT is working to facilitate transportation innovation and safety, and to ensuring the U.S. remains a leader in automation. They have published three documents to support the development, testing, and integration of automated vehicle technologies: Ensuring American Leadership in Automated Vehicle Technology, Preparing for the Future of Transportation, Automated Driving Systems 2.0. These documents provide guidance on automated driving systems and outline the authorities, research, and investments made by the U.S. government to advance AV research, development, and integration. (USDOT, Automated Vehicle Activities)

USDOT ITS JPO

The USDOT Connected Vehicle Pilot Deployment Program sponsored four CV pilots to spur innovations and encourage partnerships between public and private highway users and operators to support a real-world assessment of CV concepts and technologies. Included in the safety applications considered in the pilots were emergency communications and evacuation information, collision warnings, collision avoidance systems, and other safety applications. The pilots did not look specifically at the interaction of CVs and public safety responders, with the exception of responding highway patrol vehicles in the Wyoming pilot project, where they looked at CV warnings related to adverse weather, work zones, and surface conditions. (USDOT, Connected Vehicle Pilot Deployment Program)

FHWA Highway Automation Activities

FHWA National Dialogue on Highway Automation

FHWA's recent National Dialogue on Highway Automation series was designed to engage a broad range of stakeholders to provide input. Stakeholders included original equipment manufacturers (OEM), technology suppliers, transportation network companies (TNC), associations, state and local agencies, and public sector partners. One of the five workshops focused on operations, including traffic incident management. One of the four key takeaways from the workshop was that "public safety officials require clear standard operating procedures for interacting with AVs.

Law enforcement, emergency responders, and the public safety community seek instruction on how to safely engage with AVs, especially since AVs are currently being tested on public roads and are operating with other road users. Workshop participants identified multiple instances where interactions with public safety officials or other roadway operators take place, including work zones and at the scene of an incident. Traffic simulation can assist with scenario planning and use case testing needed to understand these complex environments. Not every situation is predictable though. Participants identified the need for better understanding of the interaction of AVs with incident management processes and systems." (FHWA, National Dialogue on Highway Automation)

Additional research needs identified in the workshop included additional information on how law enforcement can pull over an AV, how to warn an AV to move out of the path of an emergency vehicle, how to ensure an AV will not leave the scene of a crash, and how to completely disable an AV.

FHWA Cooperative Driving Automation

Cooperative driving automation enables AVs to communicate between vehicles, the infrastructure, and road users to enhance efficiency and reduce crashes. CDA research focuses on how CVs and AVs can work together with the roadway infrastructure to increase safety and improve operations. One of the CDA research initiatives is CARMA, developed to enable testing and evaluation of cooperative automation concepts and applications. One scenario being studied through the CARMA program is traffic incident management (TIM), looking at how CDA can enhance the safety and operations at incident scenes. The CARMA team has collaborated with a TIM Working Group to develop TIM scenarios for testing. The first planned demonstration will be how CDAs respond when an emergency vehicle is parked on the shoulder and CDA observance of the move over law. (FHWA, Cooperative Driving Automation)

AASHTO and NCHRP

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) have identified a number of research needs associated with CV/AV.

NCHRP 20-24(98)

The Connected/Automated Vehicle Research Roadmap for AASHTO, NCHRP 20-24 (98), identified a list of unresolved issues related to CV/AV. The issues fell into four general categories: institutional and policy, infrastructure design and operations, planning, and modal applications. Within these categories, 20 research projects were identified. None of these projects specifically included the interaction of CV/AV with public safety emergency response and responders. (NCHRP 20-24(98))

NCHRP 20-102(16)

NCHRP 20-102(16): Preparing TIM Responders for Connected and Automated Vehicles was approved as a research project in 2018. The purpose of the project is to consider how CV/AV technology will change how emergency responders and public safety personnel respond to crashes. The project will "investigate how traffic incidents change in a more connected transportation system and what the needs of traffic incident responders would be. A secondary objective is to describe how traffic incident responders should be included in the CV/AV research agenda moving forward." This project is anticipated to start in 2021. (NCHRP 20-102(16))

Automation and Public Safety Common Solutions (APSCS)

The APSCS Consortium, organized through CAMP LLC in cooperation with VTTI and UMassSafe, conducted the comprehensive study, An Examination of Emergency Response Scenarios for ADS, in 2018. The study included a literature search, consultations with subject matter experts, focus groups, and one-on-one interviews with public safety officials from fire, EMS, and law enforcement. They developed common scenarios in which public safety officials would interact with automated driving systems (ADS) and obtained feedback from responders on where there were knowledge gaps and differences in operational protocols to determine potential issues and benefits. The six operational scenarios developed for analysis were:

• Responding to an incident
• Securing a scene
• Traffic direction and control
• Traffic stops and checkpoints
• Abandoned or unattended vehicles
• Stabilization and extrication

They identified areas of additional information needs, including how:

• To disable a vehicle when securing the scene
• To investigate abandoned vehicles
• To stabilize a vehicle and perform extrication
• To know whether an ADS-equipped vehicle detects the presence of an emergency vehicle during response or conducting a traffic stop
• To direct an ADS-equipped vehicle while conducting traffic control at a scene
• The ADS-equipped vehicle will behave in advance of responding to these situations
• To identify ADS-equipped vehicles
• To determine who is responsible for the vehicle
• To obtain data from the vehicle

Participants in the focus groups and interviews also offered suggestions for additional scenarios. (CAMP LLC, 2018)

TSAG Survey

TSAG conducted a survey in 2020, sent to the TSAG Communities of Interest. The survey was designed to determine respondents' familiarity with and confidence in CV/AV technology. It also solicited input on concerns and anticipated benefits of CV/AV from a public safety response perspective. The survey was not scientific; rather, it was intended to solicit input and identify areas of needed research regarding CV/AV impacts on emergency response. Survey findings on the potential impacts and benefits are included in the next two sections. In addition to the discussion in these sections, it is important to note that even with the adoption and advancement of CV/AV in the general vehicle fleet, there is concern about the cost and timing of CV/AV in emergency response vehicles, which are costly to replace.

Risks and Impacts of CV/AV on Emergency Response

A number of risks and impacts associated with CV/AV have been expressed by the public safety emergency response community. These include:

Electrical hazards and ability to disable power

Although not all CV/AV are electric or hybrid electric vehicles, many of the more advanced models are using these technologies. It is important that responders have access to a kill switch or have clear protocols for disabling the power to reduce electrical hazards and ensure that the vehicle does not move.

AV's ability to detect and respond safely to emergency scene traffic control

A common concern is whether vehicles driving under partial or full automation will respond safely and appropriately to on-scene traffic control at an incident. This includes temporary traffic control devices as well as human traffic-control operations.

AV's ability to detect and respond appropriately to response vehicles with lights and sirens How an automated vehicle responds to vehicles in emergency mode is not fully understood by responders. There is little confidence that AVs will respond by pulling over and yielding right of way to the emergency vehicle.

Compliance with move-over laws

Move-over laws require vehicles traveling in the lane adjacent to response vehicles with emergency lights on to move over or slow down when passing the vehicle. It is unclear how AVs will respond and react in these situations.

AV actions when there is an operational issue

There is a question about how AVs will respond to a vehicle operational or mechanical issue - will they pull to the side of the road, attempt to exit the highway, or simply stop in a lane creating a hazard?

Emergency access for patient care and extrication

It is important to understand how CV/AV will impact responders' access to patients within vehicles to facilitate safe and timely patient care and extrication.

Stabilizing vehicles and disabling self-drive mode

There is concern with how to stabilize and disable CV/AV to ensure responder and patient safety. Ability to communicate with vehicle system operator

CV/AV that function in a system environment, such as higher-level automated vehicles, have system operators who can support responders in disabling vehicles and responding to emergencies. How responders communicate with the operators is not well understood.

Preservation of on-board event data

CV/AV on-board data can provide important safety information in the event of an incident and assist in response and crash reporting functions. Concerns with how this data is preserved and how it can be accessed have been expressed.

Vehicle towing requirements

Towing requirements for CV/AV are not well understood. If these are different from current towing requirements, they need to be defined and coordinated with towing service providers.

Additional training for public safety responders

It is important to define all additional training requirements for responding to CV/AV incidents and develop additional training resources to support public safety agencies and responders to meet these training needs. USDOT encourages automated vehicle developers to engage with the first responder community when developing and testing technologies to identify new applications that can enhance emergency response. They also suggest working with first responders to educate, raise awareness, and develop emergency response protocols.

Opportunities for Enhanced Safety of Emergency Response with CV/AV

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified four areas of benefit from vehicle automation: safety, economic and societal, efficiency and convenience, and mobility. In terms of safety, they note that automated vehicles have the potential to "save lives and reduce injuries" because "94% of serious crashes are due to human error. Automated vehicles have the potential to remove human error from the crash equation." (NHTSA, Automated Vehicles for Safety) Connected vehicles can also increase responder safety by allowing safer travel to the response scene and providing additional information en route and on scene.

Enhanced and automated crash notification

CV technology allows for automated collision notification which provides responders with quicker notification, crash location, and crash severity information.

Enhanced crash data

CV can provide information to responders to enhance their response, provide them with situational awareness to improve their safety, and support faster and more detailed crash investigation and reporting.

Reduced response times

CV can notify public safety answering points (PSAP) faster than those involved in or passing a crash. This reduces notification times and supports faster response.

Improved patient outcomes

Faster response and treatment of patients result in improved patient outcomes.

Reduction in number of crashes

AV are anticipated to significantly reduce vehicle crashes by minimizing or removing human error in driving.

Reduction in severity of crashes

CV/AV technology can reduce the severity of crashes at all levels of automation and connectivity, including hazard warnings, emergency braking, and vehicle cooperation.

Ability to geofence an incident scene to reduce vehicle intrusion

With CV/AV, the opportunity exists to geofence an incident scene to keep vehicles from entering and enhance scene safety.

Automated, cooperative lane change (move-over and lane shifts)

Beyond moving over to yield to emergency vehicles with lights and sirens, CV/AV can work cooperatively to move out of the way, creating virtual emergency lanes.

Safer response

CV can enhance the safety of response vehicles en route to a scene by supporting signal preemption and information about response routes. On scene, CV can support enhanced situational awareness through information available through digital feeds.

CV/AV Research Needs Related to Emergency Response

FHWA cooperative automation research is mainly focused on platooning, speed harmonization, lane changing, and other vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communications. The focus is on driver, user, infrastructure, communication, and cybersecurity with little attention to emergency response and responders. Some attention has been given to law enforcement and how vehicles will respond to traffic laws and to law enforcement officers. A few examples of how CV/AV will impact first responders have been considered, including how CV/AV will respond to vehicles running with lights and sirens, or to temporary traffic control and responders at the scene of an incident. Additional research is needed to address the specific concerns of public safety responders related to interacting with CV/AV to ensure these concerns are adequately addressed and necessary training and protocols are supported.

TSAG Recommendations and Roadmap

TSAG will not continue to function in its current capacity after July 2021. The following tables outline recommendations from TSAG's work and include a discussion of the recommendation, references to agencies and current research associated with the recommendation, and actions for implementation with a short description, recommended lead agency or agencies, and a priority and timeframe for the action. USDOT is committed to continuing its support for advancing research and technology for the safety of emergency responders on and responding to transportation incidents and emergencies.

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