Whether you are considering economic development organizations as stakeholders?
John Harding: The question was about economic development and what we’re trying to get information from all the stakeholders. We will try to get information from that stakeholder to we’re thinking we’re trying to get out and request for comment, so we need to get more input on the study and hopefully that’ll get out soon.
Would it be possible to organize another virtual event where various stakeholders/states/regions could share their efforts and what we are learning about preparing for CAVs?
John Harding: We will see about that. We only have so much time, but we’ll see if we can include something like that. As I said, we have a request for comment. And we’re also trying to plan right now a session at the automated road transportation symposium in July to make it a listening session. So, we will see what we can do. We may have some flexibility to have another session to get some input.
Is there any way we can stay involved with your current and future research?
John Harding: We have the different research groups associated with that different types of research. If you want to get more involved, best thing to do is send me an email and see what I can do. Right now, it is on a project activity basis. Will see what we can do on a more programmatic level.
Are there thoughts how to organize vehicle hailing?
John Harding: I know we know that they’re part of the transportation system and we’re trying to work on the roadway side, but there may be some local jurisdictions that may be trying to do something like that, but I’m not totally certain.
Scott Smith: I interpret this as what’s going on with curb space and ride hailing. As you probably know, you know in our city on some cities today there’s been considerable effort to organize it. And our current research which I haven’t really got into is the webinar looking at different business models that might occur with automation and what their effects might be. Say on privately owned vehicles versus shared vehicles, but this is all very much a work in progress so still a lot of uncertainly but you know restarting—taking our starting point—is what’s happening today if their recent disruptive changes.
DOTs have very limited budgets and have significant investment in current infrastructure management approaches. How do we develop a digital infrastructure development approach that is in sync with these realities?
John Harding: That’s the major question and that’s why we’re trying to develop an initial understanding of what we think digital infrastructure may be for transportation. And that’s future work that we are trying to work first providing the kind of foundation, so we can move the future work in those future discussions, because we understand “Yes.” We’ve been very capital improvements and with the physical infrastructure. And now we’re thinking about the digital infrastructure, but first we have to—first we have to come to a better understanding of what we mean by digital infrastructure in a transportation ecosystem so there’s a lot of discussions to have.
And how much information about state and regional testing is being compiled through NHTSA&rsquo's AV Test Program?
John Harding: From what I’ve seen in the past—I haven’t checked in in a while—but it’s all voluntary, so there is some—I don’t know what—there’s a significant amount there. But there’s always other stuff going on. I’d have to look at it again to give you more definitive aspect of what I would think about it, but that’s just a resource and it’s available for those, too. For conducting that kind of research development testing to provide that information and then others to access it is a good resource. I’m not sure how, you know, the problem is we don’t know about everything that’s going on and what’s in there and what’s not in there, but it’s something that, hopefully, more people will use to post.
Is there an opportunity to focus some of the IIJA funds towards supporting pro-CAV infra maintenance renewal efforts like wider markings, consistent signing, etc.?
John Harding: I wouldn’t like to speculate right now, a lot of people working in the IIJA and the different revisions and I don’t want to get ahead of that. There might be opportunities everybody’s looking at the different possibilities. And they’re looking at, you know, innovation is, you know, one of the areas so it’s a possibility but will have to see how it all works out because there’s a lot of different things in the IIJA and a lot of different possibilities.
Can you please post the links to the three webinars relating to the Impacts of Automated Vehicles on Highway Infrastructure project?
Andrea Sparko: I think that may be referring to these presentations that will be posted.
John Harding: And that is part of Morgan’s presentation as it has three webinars and yeah, they are available on the Federal Highways’ website. We could probably find links to that.
Morgan Kessler: Yeah, and I’ll just add John that we had an issue with the files recently, but we will be straightening that out soon and they will appear where you just said.
If it is going to take decades for AVs to be widely deployed, should we be focusing on the application of digital infrastructure tech to human drivers in the short term?
John Harding: I think it’s one of the things that we did was, because automated vehicles—digital infrastructure—was a topic of discussion because of the possible data information needs, but you’re right that it also helps human drivers. That is part of the discussion that this is a system that’s for the transportation ecosystem and it’s not just going to service automated driving systems but other human drivers no other modes of transportation. So, an aspect, there’s a yes there but we have to think about it from different perspectives and what is going to serve. We think about it from a little bit—the automated driving system perspective—but we know that has expanded to others.
Do you think we should assume that track variance will be built into automated vehicles or should we be building roads to avoid rutting?
John Harding: Yeah, there’s a lot of research on that and, yes, the automated driving system developers. We’ve had discussions and both sides from the roadway guys to the automated driving system about this variance and you know there’s something to be looked into in this area that yes, we can avoid writing depending on the variability, especially with trucks/heavy vehicles.
What happens when AVs are wrecked and impacts to earth?
John Harding: An automated vehicle is a vehicle just like current vehicles today and I think you’re thinking about the impacts, the environment, the earth, what happens to wrecked vehicles? They go to a junkyard. A lot of them are basically—you have a vehicle with an ADS system where you’ve just taken out the human driver. So, it’s still a vehicle and still has the vehicle components engine. It might be your internal combustion or might be like five, but it’s still you go the tires and everything so it’s similar to what happens when a regular vehicle is a non-ADS today.
Omar Faruk: Will the presentation be available after the Webinar?
Jim Garling: Yes.
Sparko, Andrea (Volpe): Tech Brief: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/pavements/21051/index.cfm
Final Report: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/operations/21015/index.cfm
SHERRY SOUTHE: What is Scott’s contact information?
Scott Smith (Volpe): Hi Sherry. scott.smith@dot.gov
Marisa Walker: Is it possible to get email for John Harding?
Henry Schoenhoff (Volpe): John.Harding@dot.gov
United States Department of Transportation
