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Connected Fleet Challenge

The Connected Fleet Challenge

As a logical next step to a large scale connected vehicle deployment and operation, the Connected Fleet Challenge encourages IOOs that have responded to the SPaT Challenge to equip at least one light-duty vehicle and at least one heavy-duty vehicle with a 5.9 GHz DSRC On-Board Unit (OBU) by 2021.  These OBUs should be capable of broadcasting the Basic Safety Message (BSM) to Roadside Units (RSUs) and of receiving SPaT, MAP, and other data messages that are being broadcast by the infrastructure. 

The objective of the Connected Fleet Challenge is not necessarily to equip large numbers of vehicles, but to gain experience with equipping a diverse group in terms of types, such as snow plows, transit buses, commercial trucks, and fire trucks, as well as different combinations of vehicle make/model/year.  The lessons learned from these vehicle installations will then be shared with other agencies and fleet operators that may have similar or identical vehicle types, which will create a knowledge base that can be leveraged by others following in the footsteps of these pioneers.

IOOs accepting the Connected Fleet Challenge are expected to collaborate with either internal or external partners to equip their fleet vehicles and develop one or more safety and mobility applications that leverage available SPaT data.

Getting Started

We’d like to hear from every agency who is participating in the challenge. This will allow us to update our national map, and help encourage peer to peer exchange of information.

Please provide the following information using our Put Your Connected Fleet on the Map form.

Connected Fleet Challenge Provisions

The Connected Fleet Challenge will include the following provisions and details:

  • The goal is for transportation agencies that have deployed infrastructure broadcasting SPaT and MAP data to take the next step by developing internal or external partnerships with agencies that operate fleet vehicles to equip vehicles with an OBUs.  The OBUs must be capable of using 5.9 GHz DSRC to exchange messages with the already deployed RSUs by January 2021 to leverage SPaT, MAP, and other data that is available in their jurisdiction.
  • Transportation agencies are encouraged to consider other communications mediums (e.g. cellular, 800 MHz radio) and deploy other communications in addition to DSRC that would support their local applications.  However, agencies will only be considered to meet the challenge when they deploy DSRC communications, for several reasons:
    • To increase industry experience and knowledge of DSRC deployments;
    • To serve as a follow-up to the SPaT Challenge, and enable testing of SPaT broadcast deployments;
    • While many agencies already have experience equipping fleet vehicles with cellular or radio communications, the objective of this challenge is for agencies to deploy technologies that they have not deployed before, such as DSRC;
    • To share broad lessons learned across the transportation agencies through the United States based on deployments with different OBU and antenna placement, data collection and integration decisions; vehicle makes/model/year; and vehicle types, e.g., transit buses, snow plows, maintenance trucks, and passenger cars.
  • State, local, and private (toll) IOOs are a primary target audience of the challenge, but not the only audience.  The challenge envisions that IOOs will identify one or more partners to equip fleet vehicles, which may include internal partners in their maintenance area, for example, or external partners at transit agencies, automobile manufacturers, tier-one suppliers, first responders, taxis and ridesharing services, freight and delivery carriers, and other transportation-related fleets.  Transportation agencies are encouraged to collaborate with these fleet operators to form creative partnerships and develop one or more safety and mobility applications to leverage the SPaT, MAP, and other data.  Transportation agencies are also encouraged to work with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to leverage opportunities for collaboration.  The Connected Fleet Challenge can be met through the use of either aftermarket, retro-fit, or OEM-integrated OBUs.
  • Several technical reference documents will be available as resources to the agencies that accept this challenge.  The resources that will be developed to support the challenge include: guidelines to assist agencies in selecting fleet vehicles for deployment; procurement guidance; installation guidance; and estimated costs for installation, operations, and maintenance.

Getting Involved in the Connected Fleet Challenge

AASHTO, working with the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) and ITS America under FHWA guidance, has created and currently leads the Cooperative Automated Transportation (CAT) Coalition.  The Strategic Initiatives Working Group of the CAT Coalition created and will lead the Connected Fleet Challenge, with support from other CAT Coalition working groups.  Anyone interested in being involved in the Connected Fleet Challenge is encouraged to join the Strategic Initiatives Working Group.  The following weblink can be used to join working groups within the CAT Coalition: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/V2IDC_TWGs.