Connected and autonomous vehicles will bring revolutionary changes to the way our transportation systems work, but many questions about how these systems will work in a real city remain unanswered. C2SMART researchers are involved in several projects related to deployment of connected vehicles and integration of connected technology throughout urban networks, helping pave the way for widespread real-world implementation.
Research Areas
C2SMART’s main research priority is improving mobility of people and goods, with a focus on smart cities. The center's research activities are divided into three areas, which together embody 9 of the 12 vision elements identified by USDOT as the major defining features of a smart city.
Shared & Micromobility
Shared mobility systems, from taxis to bikes to cars, are driving the evolution of smart cities. C2SMART’s research includes investigating how these shared mobility systems can work more efficiently and analyzing how they impact a city’s transportation system as a whole.
Safety of Transportation Systems
As technology revolutionizes all aspects of transportation, ensuring safety of drivers, pedestrians, and riders remains a top concern. C2SMART’s research both analyzes the safety of existing transportation modes and pursues strategies for safe implementation of emerging technologies.
Big Data & Smart Cities
Part of C2SMART’s mission is to use big data generated by emerging field implementations and non-traditional sensing technologies to develop secure and interoperable data sharing platforms and system-oriented solutions. The center takes advantage of these new and emerging data sources in its research to address a wide range of urban mobility problems involving people and goods to achieve efficiency, resiliency, accessibility, and sustainability for a range of cities.
Infrastructure Resiliency
In the face of worsening natural disasters, man-made threats, and ever-growing urban populations, the resilience of multi-modal transportation assets and infrastructure in cities is critical. C2SMART’s research addresses a pressing need to assess the vulnerabilities of urban infrastructure and work towards resilient systems that continue to function when strained by difficult conditions.
Equity & Accessibility
Despite the growing variety of transportation options available in cities, many residents find themelves limited in their choices due to physical accessibility limitations, safety concerns, or other impediments to safe and efficient travel, restricting their ability to move freely about their cities. Transportation accessibility remains a problem for certain groups of travelers who are often underrepresented or overlooked in transportation policy development and research.