Advancing Road Safety and Geometric Design for Autonomous and Connected Vehicles

自动和互联的电动汽车，在这里被称为自动车辆系统(AV)，预计将在安全性、移动性和可持续性方面带来显著的好处。这项技术正在世界各地出现在客运和货运方面。美国一家公司预测，到2027年，无人驾驶卡车将出现在州际高速公路上，并将大幅节省成本(55%)。这项技术正在全球范围内出现，无论是客运还是货运方面。自动驾驶车辆已经开始出现在全球各地的道路上。AV市场在2019年的价值为540亿美元，预计到2026年将增长至5560亿美元(增长10倍)。显然，随着市场的扩大，运输专业人士和研究人员必须解决一系列挑战，才能在不久的将来成为现实。拟议的研究计划旨在解决这些影响，并建立在申请人在公路几何设计和智能交通系统方面长达25年的研究经验的基础上。申请人研究的长期目标是开发创新的方法，以实现自动驾驶的安全、移动和可持续的运输系统。目标是全面解决所有公路设施的环境愿景和自动车辆控制的技术方面。该研究计划的具体短期目标是：1.发展交叉口(环形交叉口和无控制交叉口)自动驾驶的方法，包括优先处理紧急自动驾驶；2.发展双车道公路上自动驾驶超车的方法；3.根据路面状况变化的抗滑力建立所有公路的自动驾驶速度模型；4.设计特殊设施(卡车牵引/停靠、工作区和人行横道)的自动驾驶方法；5.使用仿真工具验证所开发的方法；6.建立了不同公路设施对汽车的几何设计要求。这项拟议的研究将启动前所未有的全面方法的发展，以规划和控制四种类型的公路设施的汽车音量，并确立汽车音量对几何设计的影响。具体来说，其科学贡献包括：(1)建立对自动驾驶建模和仿真至关重要的环形交叉口的轨迹数据；(2)发展扩展理论以规划不同类型公路设施上的自动驾驶运动；(3)建立基于防滑的自动驾驶速度控制模型；(4)量化自动驾驶对公路线形设计的影响。开发的工具将促进自动驾驶的实施，预计将在安全性、机动性和可持续性方面提供重大好处。许多HQP将在拟议的计划中接受培训，并将能够在运输、电信和数据管理以及制造业等领域担任学术界和工业界的关键领导职位。

Autonomous and connected vehicles, called herein automated vehicles (AV) are expected to lead to significant benefits in safety, mobility, and sustainability. The technology is emerging around the world on both passenger and freight sides. One company in the US predicts that driverless trucks will be on interstate highways by 2027 and will lead to significant cost saving (55%). The technology is emerging around the world on both passenger and freight sides. Automated vehicles have already started to appear on the roads across the globe. The AV market is valued at $54 billion in 2019 and is projected to grow to $556 billion by 2026 (10-time growth). Clearly, as the market expands, transportation professionals and researchers must address an array of challenges before AV becomes a reality in the near future. The proposed research program addresses those impacts and builds upon the applicant's 25-year research experience on highway geometric design and intelligent transportation systems. The long-term objective of the applicant's research is to develop innovative methods to achieve safe, mobile, and sustainable transportation systems for AV. The goal is to fully address both technical aspects of AV (vision for the environment and automated vehicle control) on all highway facilities. The specific short-term objectives of the proposed research program, which focuses on four types of highway facilities, are as follows: 1.Develop methods for AV operation at intersections (roundabouts and uncontrolled), including priority for emergency AV, 2.Develop methods for overtaking of AV on two-lane highways, 3.Develop AV speed models for all highways based on skid resistance which changes with the change in pavement surface conditions, 4.Develop methods for AV operation at special facilities (truck drayage/docking, work zones, and pedestrian crossings), 5.Validate the developed methods using simulation tools, and 6.Establish geometric design needs for AV for different highway facilities. The proposed research will initiate unprecedented novel development of comprehensive methods for planning and control of AV on four types of highway facilities and the establishment of AV impacts on geometric design. Specifically, the scientific contributions include: (1) establishing trajectory data for roundabouts that are essential for AV modelling and simulation, (2) developing extended theory for planning AV movements on different types of highway facilities, (3) establishing speed-control model for AV based on skid resistance, and (4) quantifying AV impacts on highway geometric design. The developed tools will promote the implementation of AV which is expected to provide significant benefits in safety, mobility, and sustainability. Many HQP will be trained in the proposed program and will be able to take key leadership positions in academia and industry in such sectors as transportation, telecom and data management, and manufacturing.