V2X Communication Improves Safety, Efficiency for Wyoming Road Users by Expanding Access to Critical Road-Closure Data: A Message from ITS JPO Director Brian Cronin

If you have ever thought that smartphone navigation apps might make vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication redundant or unnecessary, I invite you to take a look at how these technologies are working together to improve road safety in Wyoming.

When snow, high winds, and other severe weather conditions require the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) to close Interstate 80 – one of the nation's primary east-west highways – conditions on secondary roads are often even more dangerous. Yet without sufficient data, some navigational apps may reroute I-80 motorists and commercial vehicle operators onto those very roads.

Many of you will recall that WYDOT was one of the original Connected Vehicle Pilots that we announced in 2015, and I’m pleased to share that WYDOT is now working to improve safety and facilitate the efficient movement of freight by sharing road-closure data directly with navigation companies such as Google and others. This project is a terrific example of V2X innovation in use right now, in real life.

Source: WYDOT

WYDOT is providing third-party access to a powerful tool known as the Situation Data Exchange (SDX). In conjunction with WYDOT's Transportation Management Center, navigation companies with access to the SDX will have a new, reliable source of real-time travel information such as weather advisories, variable speed limits, road closure notifications, and vehicle weight restrictions.

The SDX was developed in support of the Wyoming Connected Vehicle Pilot, a WYDOT project funded by the Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office (ITS JPO).

The SDX stores and distributes non-Personal Identifiable Information (PII) data collected from wirelessly connected vehicles, including WYDOT fleet vehicles and snowplows. WYDOT also consults with individual counties to include information on local and conditional closures. For more information on how the SDX works, see our Fact Sheet.

In addition to motorists receiving real-time travel information, commercial vehicle operators also get improved data through a tool known as the WYDOT Commercial Vehicle Operators Portal (CVOP). Operators who register for the CVOP are provided with road impact forecasts for driver safety and planning purposes tailored to their needs.

The Wyoming-led Connected Vehicle (CV) Pilot program has provided valuable work and feedback to Traffic Management Data Dictionary (TMDD) and the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) standards committees based on their implementations of CV standards in their deployment. Their work may be used to inform future editions of CV standards.

The CV Pilot program is sponsored by the US Department of Transportation's ITS JPO to pioneer the deployment of connected vehicle technologies. Similar deployments were also launched in New York City and Tampa, FL.

Thank you for joining me this week to explore the latest developments in the world of V2X communication. Stay tuned for future post featuring other V2X deployments. Together, we're paving the way for a safer, more efficient future of travel.

Brian Cronin, Director, ITS JPO

Posted 4/11/24