USDOT Office of Research and Technology

Deputy Assistant Secretary Lee White led a discussion on the Golden Age of Transportation during the inaugural Coffee with Ken Summit this week.

Under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Duffy, the U.S. is entering a new era of transportation focused on safety, innovation, and economic prosperity. By reducing regulatory burdens, leveraging AI and digital infrastructure, and prioritizing national security, the U.S. Department of Transportation is accelerating progress to build a faster, safer, and more affordable future for all Americans.

Do you have an upcoming V2X project that could use additional funding? 🛣️

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All funding is available now through May 26.

To learn more and build a strong grant application, check out the SS4A webinars: https://www.transportation.gov/grants/SS4A/webinars

Whether you're developing a Safety Action Plan or implementing advanced technologies like V2X, these resources can guide your approach.
✔️ Learn what makes a strong application
✔️ Understand eligible project types
✔️ Explore how V2X aligns with safety goals

Webinar Series: Safe Streets and Roads for All Grants | US Department of Transportation The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is hosting informational webinars for the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant opportunity. These webinars will be recorded and serve as a resource for prospective SS4A applicants.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation is implementing Truck Parking Availability System technologies at its Interstate 40 Welcome Center in Smith County. The pilot project, funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation SMART Grants Program, is intended to help commercial truck drivers find safe, reliable parking when moving essential freight across the Southeast. 🚛

https://www.tn.gov/tdot/news/2026/4/20/tdot-to-implement-truck-parking-pilot-project.html

Safety first, innovation always.

At the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) Board of Industry Leaders Meeting, Assistant Secretary nominee Seval Oz outlined how the U.S. Department of Transportation is shifting from a "command and control" approach to one of deep collaboration with industry, academia, and the public sector to achieve a bold innovation vision:

🔸 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: From autonomous freight corridors spanning from Texas to Arizona and beyond, to exploring new autonomous transit initiatives in cities like Jacksonville, we are working to integrate these life-saving technologies nationwide.

🔸 𝗔𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝘆 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝘆 (𝗔𝟮𝗘): Affordable and accessible transportation for all Americans. By retooling our automotive industries and bringing manufacturing back home, we aren't just moving people more efficiently, we’re boosting per capita productivity and building a more resilient economy.

🔸 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘀: We are leading a multi-modal effort to ensure data flows freely across our national network, using AI and advanced computing to make our transportation system safer, faster, and more efficient.

🔸 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗯𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗿𝘀: Under the leadership of Secretary Duffy, we are actively resetting regulations to lower vehicle costs, eliminate unnecessary mandates, and prioritize consumer choice.

Transportation innovation is no longer optional; it is essential to our nation's progress. We are grateful for the spirit of innovation shown by the leaders at CTA as we work together to deliver the benefits of autonomy to every American.

Want to learn more about the Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office (ITS JPO) but don’t know where to start?

📌 Check out the newly relaunched ITS JPO website: https://its.dot.gov/

Information is added regularly, including program updates, images, and videos. Whether you’re looking to connect with staff or learn more about an ITS program, 𝗶𝘁𝘀.𝗱𝗼𝘁.𝗴𝗼𝘃 is your one-stop shop for ITS JPO news and updates.

We were honored to join the Center for Connected and Automated Transportation (CCAT) Global Symposium on Mobility Innovation in Ann Arbor to discuss the future of American transportation.

Assistant Secretary nominee Seval Oz delivered a keynote outlining our roadmap for an Affordable Autonomy Economy (A2E), a vision where innovation serves all Americans by making mobility safer and more accessible.

🚗 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗽𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: The U.S. Department of Transportation is moving beyond testing to repeatable, real-world services. We are prioritizing common data standards and interoperability to accelerate AV technology deployment on public roads.

🛣️ 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗯𝗼𝗻𝗲: We are coordinating with states, academia, and industry to enable critical digital infrastructure necessary for deploying advanced technology systems on U.S. interstates.

Seval also joined a fireside chat with Kristin White (Google Public Sector), Gregg Brunner (Michigan Department of Transportation), and Konner Petz (Office of Mobility Innovation at The City of Detroit). The discussion centered around how cross-sector collaboration can accelerate the deployment of artificial intelligence-driven solutions for safer transportation systems.

Progress requires the seamless integration of government, industry, and academia. Thank you to CCAT for modeling the collaboration needed to reach new heights. 🚀

We had an incredible day with our partners at University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI), Mcity, and Center for Connected and Automated Transportation (CCAT).

Assistant Secretary nominee Seval Oz and Acting Assistant Secretary Michael Halem were on site to dive into cutting-edge connected and automated vehicle (CAV) research. We experienced a range of demonstrations, including crash testing, autonomous vehicle simulation testing, and a look at the Ann Arbor Connected Environment.

🔸𝗠𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 & 𝗠𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗢𝗦: A $5.1 million National Science Foundation (NSF) Mcity 2.0 grant enabled the creation of a cloud-based, augmented-reality CAV testbed. This system, powered by Mcity OS, provides remote access to the facility and helps enhance access for researchers nationwide.
🔸𝗠𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: A demonstration of MotionSync, a CCAT-funded spinoff using seat cues to greatly reduce motion sickness symptoms in autonomous vehicle passengers.
🔸𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: The Ground Truth Trip Recorder (GTTR), a UMTRI system designed to measure and analyze driving performance and traffic behavior in 360 degrees, is paving the way for transparent driver safety assessment.
🔸𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆: The Blueflite team shared their commercial drone work for delivering life-saving medical equipment.
🔸𝗦𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: Research vehicles leveraging augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and machine learning help reduce the number of miles necessary to test the safety performance of autonomous vehicles.

Thank you to Dr. Henry Liu and the entire team at UMTRI, Mcity, and CCAT for hosting this vital research exchange.

On April 11, the Maricopa County Department of Transportation Connected Vehicle Acceleration Zone held a press event in Phoenix as part of Arizona Tech Week.

This U.S. Department of Transportation vehicle-to-everything (V2X) accelerator site features real-time communication between vehicles, traffic signals, pedestrians, cyclists, and roadside infrastructure to:
✔️ Reduce crash risk at intersections
✔️ Improve emergency and freight response times
✔️ Optimize traffic flow for a growing region
✔️ Cut delays

Attendees were able to ride along and experience firsthand how V2X technology improves safety, reduces congestion, and enhances reliability for transit and freight.

Have you checked out the ITS JPO YouTube channel lately? 🚦

Visit https://www.youtube.com/itsjpo to hear the latest in intelligent transportation systems innovation, including:

🔹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝘀: See the big picture of our latest initiatives.

🔹 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: Deep dives into the tech saving lives on our roads.

🔹 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝘀: Conversations with the subject matter experts leading the way.

Subscribe today to stay updated on all the exciting work happening at the U.S. Department of Transportation Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office!

Looking for new ways to stay connected to the ITS JPO? Sign up for the new email publication, 𝘐𝘛𝘚 𝘑𝘗𝘖 𝘕𝘰𝘸. Delivered straight to your inbox every other month, 𝘐𝘛𝘚 𝘑𝘗𝘖 𝘕𝘰𝘸 details what is happening in the ITS JPO, updates from various programs, and groundbreaking details from new deployments all over the nation.

📌 Sign up: https://is.gd/jCt5BE

Innovation shouldn't stop at city limits.

Assistant Secretary nominee Seval Oz visited UC Berkeley to review ACCEL-RT (Autonomous Cargo Carriers for Enhanced Logistics in Rural and Tribal areas), a new center dedicated to bringing autonomous cargo solutions to rural and tribal communities. While AV tech often focuses on urban centers, this initiative targets the I-40 corridor to bridge the infrastructure gap. UC Berkeley is a partner on a $1,939,762 U.S. Department of Transportation SMART Grant to Bernalillo County I-40 TradePort Corridor Intelligent Data Platform.

🛣️ 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲: Automated and digitized corridors revitalizing logistics for underserved communities, creating more resilient supply chains and spurring regional economic growth.

🚀 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲-𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles delivering emergency medical kits to remote crash sites, where every minute counts.

🚛 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁: Connected and automated heavy-duty trucks suppressing stop-and-go traffic waves, helping reduce congestion.

🤝 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Partnering with state/local government and industry to scale private-sector innovation.

The visit also featured a tour of the Richmond Field Station, home to the DRIVE AI consortium. This hub unites startups, government, and academia to accelerate automation using world-class facilities:
🚗 AV Test Track & V2X Lab
🚁 UAV Flight Zone
🛠️ Rapid Manufacturing

Thank you to our partners at UC Berkeley, California State Transportation Agency, and Caltrans HQ for a productive and engaging visit. By prioritizing automation and digitization in underserved areas, we are building a safer, more resilient, and accessible transportation future for all Americans.

How can we make intersections safer for all? It starts with better data 📈

The U.S. Department of Transportation Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office released additional data from the Intersection Safety Challenge. The multi-sensor data includes ground truth; i.e., 3D bounding boxes for each road user and binary classification labels (conflict vs. no conflict) for each run.

Researchers, developers, and practitioners can use this labeled validation data, along with available unlabeled training data, to train, refine, and validate AI detection and prediction models used at intersections. 🚦

🔗 Get the data: https://is.gd/zPeb1q