PacTrans: Characterization of Underserved Population Perceptions and Mobility Needs in Connected-Vehicle and Smarter City Environments

AIDC project number:

PI(s):

Ahmed Abdel-Rahim (UI)

Rula Awwad-Rafferty(UI)

David Hurwitz (OSU)

Billy Connor (UAF)

Ali Hajbabaie (WSU)

Jeff Ban (UW)

Funding:

PacTrans

  • Start Date: Aug 16, 2017
  • End Date: Aug 15, 2019

Project Summary

Connected-vehicle and smarter city environments have the potential of transforming our transportation system. The increased number of on-demand mobility options and the information available to travelers has created a new dynamic in unlimited opportunities. Cities across the nation are developing new smart city initiatives to integrate open data with new transportation systems so that people can move more freely in their communities. These technologies will operate our surface transportation systems at maximum safety and efficiency. However, as technological innovation continues to progress at light speed, the country’s underserved communities are increasingly left behind.

The objective of this PacTrans outreach effort is to better understand and characterize underserved populations perceptions about mobility needs in connected and smarter city environments. The PacTrans outreach project team, in partnership with stakeholders from a variety of underserved populations, will conduct extensive outreach activities in the form of focus group meetings, interviews, and presentations to educate targeted underserved communities about the different mobility options in connected vehicle and smart-city environments and gather information about their mobility needs and perceptions about new mobility opportunities.