U.S. DOT Intersection Safety Challenge Outreach Toolkit – Stage 1A: Concept Assessment

Instructions for Use

The first stage (Stage 1A: Concept Assessment) of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (U.S. DOT) Intersection Safety Challenge sought innovative ideas for intersection safety system concepts that identify, predict, and mitigate unsafe conditions involving vehicles and vulnerable road users. The U.S. DOT thanks you for your support of this important initiative and encourages you to use the materials in this toolkit to celebrate the Stage 1A winners, share Challenge updates with your networks, and advance the conversation on intersection safety.
This toolkit includes: 

• Contact information 
• Overview of the Intersection Safety Challenge
• Graphics (high-resolution files with alternate text) 
• Sample social media posts

Contact Information:
Challenge Website: https://its.dot.gov/isc/

Media Contact:
Nancy Wilochka
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology
Phone: 202-366-5128
Email: Nancy.Wilochka@dot.gov

Technical Contact:
Govind Vadakpat, Ph.D.
Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office
Phone: 202-366-5004
Email: G.Vadakpat@dot.gov

Overview of the Intersection Safety Challenge

In response to growing safety concerns and as part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (U.S. DOT) continued implementation of its National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS), the U.S. DOT Intersection Safety Challenge aims to transform intersection safety by incentivizing the innovative application of new and emerging technologies to identify and mitigate unsafe conditions involving vehicles and vulnerable road users at intersections. The Challenge complements other Federal efforts to improve intersection safety, with the Challenge specifically focused on the use of technology. A technology-based approach is recognized as one of many potentially cost-effective approaches for improving safety at intersections. The Challenge draws on the expertise of researchers and practitioners from universities, state and local agencies, private sector developers, and other organizations.  

Of particular interest in addressing intersection safety is the development of systems that apply emerging capabilities enabled by advanced sensing, communications technologies, and artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). These include machine sensing and perception, data fusion, trajectory and path prediction, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications, and real-time decision-making. Technological advancements in these and other areas offer an opportunity to improve intersection safety at scale in new and effective ways. The Challenge encourages the formation of non-traditional teams combining expertise in emerging technologies with experience in traffic and safety engineering to develop new and potentially transformative intersection safety approaches. Overall, the Challenge aims to incentivize the development of new, cost-effective, real-time roadway intersection safety system concepts.

For the first stage of the Challenge, Stage 1A, participants submitted concept papers on their proposed intersection safety systems. 120 innovative concept papers were received of which 15 were selected for prizes. Of these 15 winning teams, 2 are led by State DOTs, 7 by academic institutions, and 6 by other organizations. Each of the 15 winning teams for Stage 1A will receive a prize of $100,000 and an invitation to participate in Stage 1B: System Assessment and Virtual Testing, subject to final verification of each team’s eligibility status. In Stage 1B teams are expected to develop, train, and improve algorithms for the detection, localization, and classification of vulnerable road users and vehicles using U.S. DOT-supplied sensor data collected at a controlled test intersection. 

At the end of Stage 1B, if sufficiently compelling and innovative candidate intersection safety systems are identified, U.S. DOT may choose to fund follow-on projects in a second stage. These projects would involve prototyping and demonstrating candidate intersection safety systems under a competitive procurement mechanism.

Given the overwhelming interest in Stage 1A, U.S. DOT is exploring ways to engage all interested parties in future stages of the Intersection Safety Challenge. For updates on opportunities to participate in the Intersection Safety Challenge in the coming year, please visit https://its.dot.gov/isc/.

Graphics

To download graphics, click on the heading above each image. Please use the provided alternative text when posting these graphics on social media and include “Source: U.S. DOT” in the image caption.

Intersection Safety Challenge Logo – Dark Letters (suitable for light background)

Logo for the U.S. DOT’s Intersection Safety Challenge featuring icons for a pedestrian in a crosswalk, wheelchair user, connectivity, and traffic signal all surrounding a 4-way intersection configuration.

Intersection Safety Challenge Logo – Light Letters(suitable for dark background)

Logo for the U.S. DOT’s Intersection Safety Challenge featuring icons for a pedestrian in a crosswalk, wheelchair user, connectivity, and traffic signal all surrounding a 4-way intersection configuration.

Intersection Safety Challenge Intersection Safety System Concept Graphic

Concept illustration for an Intersection Safety System for U.S. DOT’s Intersection Safety Challenge. Safety systems informed by data fused from multiple sensors may anticipate unsafe conditions, e.g., a vehicle turning right in potential conflict with pedestrian pushing a stroller.

Sample Social Media Posts

X/Twitter

General
@USDOT announced 15 winners for Stage 1A of its Intersection Safety Challenge, which sought concept papers on intersection safety system solutions to identify and mitigate unsafe conditions involving vehicles and vulnerable road users. Learn more at: https://its.dot.gov/isc/.

Finalist Specific
@<Company/Organization> was one of the winners for Stage 1A of @USDOT’s Intersection Safety Challenge for our intersection safety system concept focused on <insert phrase>! Learn more at: https://its.dot.gov/isc/.

LinkedIn

General
The U.S. DOT announced 15 winners of Stage 1A of its Intersection Safety Challenge, which sought concept papers on intersection safety system solutions to help identify and mitigate unsafe conditions involving vehicles and vulnerable road users. Each of the 15 winning teams for Stage 1A will receive a prize of $100,000 and an invitation to participate in Stage 1B: System Assessment and Virtual Testing, subject to final verification of each team’s eligibility status. For Stage 1B teams are expected to develop, train, and improve algorithms to detect, localize, and classify vulnerable road users and vehicles as well as predict unsafe conditions using U.S. DOT-supplied sensor data collected at a controlled test intersection. Learn more at: https://its.dot.gov/isc/.

Last updated: January 9, 2024