ATSSA Signal November December 2020

American Traffic Safety Services Association 18 Innovation VTTI research drives safety for next- generation vehicles ZacharyDoerzaph sees the future of cars and roads five to 10 years ahead of most people, thanks to his work at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) in Blacksburg, Va. He leads the Center for Advanced Auto- motive Research at VTTI, where he coor- dinates a teamfocusedonmeasuringand improving the performance of next-gen- eration vehicle systems. The primary focus is making drivers, vehicles, and infrastructure safer. “That’s kind of our sweet spot. We try to address these kinds of core research questions that our partners have. We provide that knowledge to help them build the best whatever it is they build, whether it’s a road or data system or a vehicle,” Doerzaph said. VTTI is considered one of the top vehi- cle testing laboratories in the country, workingwith both the public and private sectors. Thebulkof its federal government work comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), but there are also projects with the Department of Defense, Department of Energy, and the National Academies. In the private sector, the institute works with vehicle manufacturers and automotive suppli- ers as well as Silicon Valley tech firms that are shaping the automated space. Zachary Doerzaph, VTTI Catherine C. McGhee, VDOT VTTI works with automakers and their suppliers to test for safety. Two Cadillac SRX advanced research vehicles drive across the Virginia Smart Roads Bridge. (Photo scourtesy of VTTI) COVER STORY By Shandra Martinez for The Signal