Transportation Research Center (TRC)

Transportation Research Center, Inc. (TRC) is the largest independent Autonomous Vehicle (AV) test facility and proving grounds in the United States. The Smart Mobility Advanced Research Test Center (SMARTCenter) houses a well-developed infrastructure with an extensive variety of road surfaces across approximately 4,500 acres. TRCs main facility houses road courses, wooded trails, a 7.5-mile high-speed oval test track, and a 50-acre vehicle dynamics area. The project involves the Design-Build of a private intersection with custom RSU software and OBU integration. The project installed eight RSUs and four OBUs. The project also included sending SPaT messages from controllers to RSUs to test the reaction of CV to conflicting messages, as well as introducing the use of DSRC and V2X infrastructures to TRC’s large testing environment along with a high-speed intersection.

Econolite Systems, Inc. (ESI) partnered with TRC to design-build a multi-detection (in-ground sensor, radar, video), DSRC/V2I/V2X capable, high-speed smart intersection as the latest addition to their test bed. As the prime contractor, ESI managed the design, construction, and integration of all devices utilized for this six-lane intersection. In addition to the ITS equipment provided, custom software was developed to meet the needs of TRC. This included the need to override normal “safe” traffic operations and provide the means to program unique conflicting phasing to be seen at the signal level and at the Dedicated Short-Range Communication (DSRC) level. TRC has the capability to utilize countless custom testing scenarios to confuse Autonomous and Connected Vehicles (CAV) at the intersection while testing normal operations as well.