UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The future of automotive technologies and its impact on safety and congestion will be among several topics discussed at a Penn State transportation conference in early December.
The Transportation Engineering and Safety Conference will be held Dec. 7 to 9 at The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel. The conference will welcome approximately 600 transportation experts and professionals from Pennsylvania, the mid-Atlantic region, and throughout the county to collaborate and share best practices.
Eric Donnell, director of the Thomas D. Larson Pennsylvania Transportation Institute at Penn State, said advanced technologies and increased research and development in automated (self-driving) and connected vehicles can help improve safety and congestion, considered two of the most pressing issues today, in both the short and long term.
“You’re starting to see more focus nationally and in Pennsylvania on automated and connected vehicles and how those technologies can become more integrated and mainstream,” Donnell said. “If you can reduce fatal crashes through automation that would be fantastic. I’m hopeful our participants can apply what they learn in the conference on projects that are directly related to these issues.”
Automated and connected vehicles can help eliminate crashes, reduce the need for new infrastructure, and improve energy efficiency. Connected vehicles utilize advancements including vehicle-to-vehicle communication, infrastructure-related technologies, emergency response technologies, and forward braking systems.
Alan Bristow, traffic manager for London’s transportation system, and Brad Mallory, former secretary of transportation for Pennsylvania, will serve as keynote speakers on Dec. 7 and 8, respectively. Donnell said the distinguished pair will provide unique and visionary perspectives on the past and future of transportation systems.
The conference consists of 32 sessions in four disciplines: design, operations, safety and planning. Visit the Penn State transportation conference website for more information and the conference schedule. The Transportation, Engineering and Safety Conference is administered through the College of Engineering’s Larson Transportation Institute and Penn State Conferences and Institutes.