Session Moderators

Moderator(s): 
Laurie Matkowski, Vice President, Gannett Fleming 

Julie Lorenz, Principal Consultant, 1898 & Co.

Session Organizers

Organizers:
Dean Deeter, Athey Creek Consultants
John Corbin, FHWA

TRB Sponsoring Committees and Partners

TRB Standing Committee on Intelligent Transportation Systems (ACP15)
TRB Standing Committee on Vehicle-Highway Automation (ACP30)
TRB Standing Committee on Information Systems and Technology (AED30)
TRB Standing Committee on Regional Transportation Systems Management and Operations (ACP10)

Session Description and Agenda

Description

Creating and sustaining the digital infrastructure to integrate roadway automation will require collaboration in research, deployment, and operation. This session will showcase several collaboration approaches for both digital infrastructure and roadway automation from different parts of the world. Audience members will learn why national scale collaboration is critical, understand some existing models, and then participate in table-top exercises to define the characteristics of a national scale collaboration model that would work in the United States. The panelist experts will react to the models suggested by audience members as input to the eventual model definition.

Agenda

1:30 – 1:45 Introductions and Welcome

Welcome, Agenda Recap, Expectations for the Day

Background:
• Why do we think national collaboration is needed?
• What do we mean by National and Continental Scale Collaboration on Roadway Automation and RDI?
• What is our desired outcome for today?

1:45 – 2:30 Panel: Understanding the Need for National and Continental Scale Collaboration on Roadway Automation and Digital Infrastructure Research and Innovation

Panel Participants:

Transportation Research Industry Perspective on Research Needs for Roadway Automation and Digital Infrastructure - Brian Cronin, FHWA

Public Sector Perspective on the Need for National and Continental Scale Collaboration: I-80: A Transcontinental Corridor’s Perspective on the Need for National and Continental Scale Collaboration - Tracy Larkin Thomason, Nevada DOT

Private Industry Perspective on the Need for National and Continental Scale Collaboration - Sue Bai, Honda

Open Mic – Audience Perspective on the Need and Benefits
Attendees will be invited to come up, sit and join the panel as they share their perspective on the need for national and continental-scale collaboration, before returning to their seat.

2:30 – 3:15 Roundtable Interview: Examples of National and Continental Scale Collaboration Around Roadway Digital Infrastructure and Automation Research
This session will interview 4 speakers about their models for national and continental-scale collaboration. Topics of the interview to include:
• For the groups that you spoke about, what was the group’s primary motivation around collaboration?
• How does this model fit in this American context?
• What aspects of collaboration were noteworthy in the models you were aware of (e.g., resourcing, decision making, work planning)?
• What successes have you seen and what challenges still remain, in your observations?

Speakers:
• Jane Lappin
• Dr. Stephane Dreher, ERTICO
• Ashley Simmons, Reimagined Mobility
• Valerie Shuman, Shuman Consulting Group

3:15 – 3:30 Break

3:30 – 4:45 Working Table-top Activity - Defining a US Based Collaboration Model

Insights into Collaboration and Explanation of Tabletop Activity

Tabletop collaboration:
• Attendees have heard an overview of national and continental scale collaboration around RDI and ADS
• Attendees have learned about the need for national and continental scale collaboration;
• Attendees have heard about some examples;
• The goal is for each table to develop a concept for how national and continental scale collaboration could be achieved in the US, including:

a. What is the role of a collaborative entity to support public and private actions?
b. What should be the strategic focus areas for the initial 2 years for the collaborative entity?
c. What resources are needed by this collaborative entity (e.g., staffing? Technical guidance? Funding support?)
d. How will the actions of this entity be resourced (federal funding, industry funding, philanthropic funding)?

4:45 – 5:00 “The Pitch”

Each Table pitches its proposed collaboration model

5:00 Adjourn

Session Objectives

Goal:
To explore and identify possible approaches for creating a national collaboration enterprise or organization to advance roadway digital infrastructure (RDI) at national and continental transportation network scale.

Objectives:
1. To showcase several national collaboration approaches for both RDI and roadway automation from different parts of the world.
2. For audience members to learn why national scale collaboration is critical, and to understand some existing models.
3. For audience members to participate in table-top exercises to define the characteristics of a national scale collaboration model that would work in the United States and share their recommendations.

Outputs:
Attendees will leave the workshop having participated in shaping the collaborative research to be performed in the United States and with a better understanding of how they might participate in this national scale collaboration.