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U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-12) today announced that the University of Michigan will receive a $2,470,600 grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s University Transportation Centers (UTC) program to establish a Center for Connected and Automated Transportation (CCAT). CCAT will advance research in the field of comprehensive transportation safety and congestion management by taking advantage of connected vehicles, connected infrastructure, and autonomous vehicles. 

“We are at the cusp of a major transformation in the auto industry, and the University of Michigan is leading the way in the research and development of new technologies that will shape the future of mobility,” said Dingell, co-chair of the House Smart Transportation Caucus. “This grant will give U-M new tools to address the critical transportation challenges facing our nation by promoting connected and autonomous technology research and education. I’m also pleased that Washtenaw Community College will be a partner in this project, as they will bring a unique perspective and skill set to this important effort. This partnership demonstrates the level of expertise the state of Michigan has in this critical field.”

CCAT will test and demonstrate emerging technologies and concepts by leveraging the Ann Arbor Connected Vehicle Test Environment, a unique ‘living laboratory’ that has instrumented urban streets and highways, thousands of connected vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles, and smart phones; and Mcity, a state-of-the art off-roadway test facility for connected and automated vehicle (CAV) testing and evaluation developed at University of Michigan.

Sample research topics include traffic flow characteristics and operations for mixed streams of CAVs and regular vehicles; transportation infrastructure design and planning for CAVs; cybersecurity management of CAVs and infrastructure; and societal impacts of CAVs in terms of safety, efficiency, and environmental sustainability.

The grant is one of 35 five-year grants awarded through the UTC program. U-M will lead a consortium of regional colleges and universities on the project, including Washtenaw Community College, Purdue University, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Akron, and Central State University.