Risks
The
greatest risks are not technical but institutional.
An
appropriate financial model must be in place since the benefits distribute
widely but
the costs are borne narrowly. The
operating expenses of the Core could be part of the DOT budget. It could be subsidized or paid for by user
fees and sale of the collected data. The policy
must be in place beforehand to ensure successful operation.
The
most significant benefits not realized until sufficient penetration of
connected vehicles
in the traffic stream. That means if
penetration takes longer to build up than anticipated, the cost savings and other
benefits will likewise take longer to materialize delaying the return on
investment.
In
addition, a gap in the connected vehicle environment due to either a gap in communications coverage
or regions not serviced by a Core System (late deployers) will substantially reduce the
benefit for those that have the Core System in place.
The
skills to operate a Core System may be in high demand if current educational pipelines are not
synchronized with anticipated demand.
Other
Considerations
Owner/Operator versus Participator
A
local DOT may be able to use an existing Core especially if already put in
place by
the State DOT. If not the local DOT may
need to establish its own minimum Core System to gain these benefits. A large municipal region may want to operate
its own
Core anyway for greater control and reliability.
A
State DOT may want to operate a Core System because no other entity is likely to operate a Core with
statewide coverage. Operating the Core
may be the best way to address rural and urban needs in an integrated fashion that
satisfies all stakeholders.
Outstanding Questions
What
barrier will the minimum requirements to operate a Core System pose to States and smaller local
DOTs?
What
happens to traffic control and traffic flow at boundaries across operating regions where one has a
Core System and the adjacent region does not?
Could
there be a Core System with multiple-State coordination? For example, a jointly-operated or
franchised Core System to serve a multi-State corridor or a metro area that overlaps
multiple States?