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North Carolina State University (NCSU), the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) and Lotus Engineering announced the collaboration with NCCAR in the pursuit of advanced technology aimed at increasing driver safety through accident avoidance.
The new project will be funded to the tune of $395,065 by the National Science Foundation using a grant known as Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI) to encourage collaborative programs between academic institutions and industry.
“The timing is perfect,” said NCCAR President Simon Cobb Wednesday, “There is approximately a year's worth of waiting on the preparatory work which will be predominantly computer-based and a lot will be done at N.C. State and New Jersey Institute of Technology, and then the intent is to transfer the field trials to NCCAR.”
Cobb said the project will be ready to move into the new NCCAR facility as soon as it is available, which he said should be in July of 2009.
“We have one final hurdle, which is the Federal Wetlands 404 permit. Most of the work is done and in place and there is a notational approval. It's just a case of that final signature on the certificate, or permit, and we're expecting that any day.”
Cobb said once the permit is in place, a crew will begin removing tree stumps from the site to prepare for phase one construction, which is the test track and research facility.
The overall objective of the collaborative program is to develop advanced warning systems that use modern sensor technology combined with new generation recognition and data prioritization protocols to help drivers avoid dangerous traffic conditions, such as an unauthorized left turn onto busy roads or abnormal driving behavior.
This program is inspired, in part, by the collaborator's experience in the recent DARPA Urban Challenge, where vehicles navigated pre-determined routes autonomously. The intent is to build a new generation of network control technology to monitor, predict, and regulate vehicular flow for the safety of all drivers in the near future.
This technology has the additional potential to reduce fuel waste and emissions, thereby contributing to a greener and safer environment, Cobb added.
”This research program is a great opportunity to use experience, skills and ingenuity to develop commercially valuable and socially responsible technologies that will benefit us all,” stated Don Graunstadt, president and chief executive officer of Lotus Engineering Inc. “Lotus Engineering is delighted to be a part of this program with the tremendous capabilities of New Jersey Institute of Technology and North Carolina State University, and the facilities of NCCAR.”
As automotive safety continues to improve, and, with the arrival of the “baby boomer generation” entering their golden years, the safety of older drivers is becoming an alarming public health issue.
Motor vehicle injuries are the leading cause of injury-related deaths among 65- to 74-year olds. On the basis of estimated annual travel, the fatality rate for drivers 85 and older is nine times higher than the rate for drivers 25 to 69 years old.
As the older population in this country continues to increase, drivers aged 65 and older are expected to account for 16 percent of all crashes and 25 percent of all fatal crashes.
This program intends to develop technology that is socially responsible and will benefit a large section of the population.
The first phase of the program activities will start with senior design projects at NCSU and NJIT Electrical and Computer Engineering departments this fall.
The objective will be to develop interactive software tools to form the foundation for time-critical data systems testing at NCCAR later in the program, once it is operational.
“NCCAR aims to become a center of excellence for automotive engineering in the fields of vehicle on-board data management, efficiency, safety, sustainability and refinement,” said Cobb.
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