Automated cars to be tested on 495, 95 Express Lanes

Expect to see automated vehicles on 495 and 95 Express Lanes in the coming months.

Following a proclamation from Governor McAuliffe on June 2, organizations including Transurban and Virginia Tech’s Transportation Institute (VTTI), have moved forward on researching and testing automated vehicles.

The project is being called the Virginia Automated Corridors Initiative.

“Automatic-vehicles are the future, and our Commonwealth’s long history in military and private automated and unmanned systems has poised Virginia to lead the way,” said Governor McAuliffe. “As we work to build a new Virginia economy, we have a tremendous opportunity to provide car companies and suppliers of automated vehicles the ideal, real-world environments they need to test complex scenarios prior to putting their vehicles on more roadways,” McAuliffe stated in the proclamation.

According to Transurban spokesman Mike McGurk, the 495 and 95 Express Lanes will be used for testing the automated vehicles.

“What we offered up, in conversations with VDOT and Virginia Tech, is use of our facilities on 495 and 95 [Express Lanes] for the testing of these vehicles,” said McGurk.

Myra Blanco, who works out of VTTI’s Center for Automated Vehicle Systems, stated that the research into vehicle automation has been going on for a long time, but the Governor’s proclamation has given them the green-light on roads in Virginia.

“We have been doing research for a long time, on different levels for vehicle automation…this project was part of the Governor’s proclamation to allow us to do vehicle automation related research on Virginia roads,” said Blanco.

While many people picture cars that can completely drive users on their own, Blanco stated that the technology is not there yet.

“We currently have features in the vehicles that are automated. For example, it’s called ACC – it’s a more advanced type of cruise control…it allows the vehicle to stay within the lane. What people tend to think of are fully automated vehicles. That’s when they start calling them autonomous vehicles – that would be in the future…we’re not there yet. The next [automation] progression would be changing lanes. There’s a lot of research going on, on those types of use cases,” said Blanco.

McGurk stated that the Express Lanes are perfect for testing the vehicles because their industries are similar, and the lanes allow Transurban to create a closed system for testing that won’t impede drivers.

“We’re excited about this technology. In the very long term future, we could possibly see further applications…it’s at the leading forefront of transportation technology and we consider ourselves in that same realm, so we wanted to be supportive,” McGurk said.

McGurk stated there is no firm timeline to begin testing the vehicles on the lanes currently.