Assessing State Department of Transportation Readiness for Connected Vehicle–Cooperative Systems Deployment: Oregon Case Study

As connected vehicle (CV) research moves into deployment, metropolitan planning organizations; state, local, and transit agencies; and the private sector will start experiencing the effects of vehicles, aftermarket devices, mobile devices, and infrastructure with dedicated short-range wireless communications and other wireless connectivity at their cores. Like other states and regions, the Oregon Department of Transportation (DOT) could benefit from the preliminary scoping, evaluation, and assessment of the impact of CVs and infrastructure and a wide range of potential cooperative system applications. With this in mind, the Oregon DOT is determining whether to pursue the next phases of federal funding for CV applications. The Oregon DOT also wants to make an informed choice about taking a national leadership role in the CV arena and to assess opportunities to join projects with other partners. This paper describes the empirical results of a survey that, to assist the Oregon DOT in its assessment, was distributed to agency staff to gauge the perception of CV and automated vehicle (AV) technology. Most respondents had heard of this technology and were in favor of its application. However, many respondents had concerns about cybersecurity and the catastrophic consequences of system failure, and many respondents voiced concerns about the Oregon DOT’s preparedness for CVs or AVs. The Oregon DOT and other agencies can use these findings to help prepare for a better future with CVs and AVs.