ATSSA Signal November December 2020

The Signal | November/December 2020 19 Innovation This aerial view shows Virginia Smart Roads, a state-of-the-art, closed test-bed research facility managed by VTTI in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Transportation. VTTI operates out of the building on the left. (Photos courtesy of VTTI.) A rural roadway was recently added, creating the first research facility designed to test automation in a controlled rural environment. Virginia Techwas one of the first universi - ties in thenation to takepart in theUSDOT University Transportation Center (UTC) program, initially partnering with Penn State and the University of Virginia. In recent years, themajority of VTTI’s proj- ects have come from the private sector. These tend to involve collision-avoidance and advanced-vehicle systems. BUILDING PROTOTYPES In July, VTTI announced its funding from public and private sources topped $50 million, setting a new annual record. These2019–20awards include twoUSDOT grants totaling $15 million to advance automated driving systems.