July/August 2000
Vol. 64· No. 1

The National IVI Meeting

Adapted from information provided by the Department of Transportation's Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office.

The National IVI (Intelligent Vehicle Initiative) Meeting will be held on July 18 and 19, 2000, at the Ronald Reagan Building and Trade Center in Washington, D.C. This meeting will bring together representatives of federal, state, and local governments; industry; and universities to discuss intelligent vehicle technologies and plans for the future.

The specific objectives of the meeting are to:

• Showcase accomplishments in intelligent vehicle technologies and highlight the achievements of government and industry partnerships.
• Serve as a forum to validate current and future directions of IVI-related research and development.
• Promote public/stakeholder awareness of efforts to improve traffic safety by developing intelligent vehicle technologies.

Background

Each year, more than 6 million crashes occur on our nation's highways. As a result of these crashes, more than 41,000 people are killed; approximately 3.4 million others are injured; and property damage and other costs exceed $150 billion.

Over the last several decades, driving has become safer as the fatality rate based on miles traveled has been reduced. Public information and education campaigns, safety features that have become standard equipment, and improved vehicle crashworthiness and highway design have helped. Nevertheless, driver error remains the leading cause of highway crashes.

Through IVI, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) hopes to reduce crashes by helping drivers avoid hazardous mistakes. IVI aims to accelerate the development and commercialization of in-vehicle devices that will warn drivers of dangerous situations, recommend actions, and even assume partial control of vehicles to avoid collisions.

The federal investment in IVI and the initiatives of industry are providing some real benefits as demonstrated by the fact that intelligent vehicle products are starting to enter the marketplace. However, to achieve the potential of IVI and to expedite the fielding of better safety systems, the talents and resources of government, industry, and academia must be coordinated and synchronized.

Speakers and Panelists

The speakers, session moderators, and panel participants for the National IVI Meeting include senior officials and technical experts representing:

• Federal government - DOT, including the secretary and deputy secretary and the chiefs of the Federal Highway Administration, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Federal Transit Administration, and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
• State governments - Caltrans (California DOT), Minnesota DOT, Pennsylvania DOT, and Utah Transit Authority.
• Local governments - Ann Arbor (Mich.) Transportation Authority and San Mateo County (Calif.) Transit District.
• Industry - Delco/Delphi, Ford, Freightliner, General Motors, Mack Trucks, and Volvo Trucks North America.
• Universities - Virginia Tech Transportation Research Center.
• Associations - Society of Automobile Engineers.

Exhibits and Demonstrations

Driving and static demonstrations will be held at the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center in McLean, Va., on July 19. The following organizations will exhibit systems that have been the subject of DOT-sponsored research and operational testing:

• Assistware - Lane-tracking systems.
• Delco Electronics - Advanced crash-avoidance systems testbed vehicle.
• Freightliner - Rollover stability advisor/control system for commercial vehicles.
• General Motors - An engineering development vehicle from the rear-end collision-avoidance operational test.
• Mack Trucks - Lane-tracking and infrastructure-assisted hazard warning.
• Minnesota DOT - Rear-end collision, lane departure, and rear-impact warning for snowplows.
• TRW - Adaptive cruise control.
• Veridian/Calspan - Intersection collision-avoidance system.
• Volvo Trucks North America - Rear-end collision warning, adaptive cruise control, and advanced braking.

For more information about DOT's Intelligent Vehicle Initiative, see "The Intelligent Vehicle Initiative: Advancing 'Human-Centered' Smart Vehicles" by Cheryl Little in the September/October 1997 issue of Public Roads. This article is available on the Internet in the Public Roads archives of the Web site for the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (www.fhwa.dot.gov/research/tfhrc/).