To conduct rapid, independent evaluations of promising safety technologies aimed at commercial vehicle operations (CVO).

This project executes the Research and Technology Program’s authorized technology transfer activities for onboard safety systems. A key focus of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is to provide leadership in the testing and evaluation of promising technologies so they can be more rapidly implemented and their potential benefits realized. Moving promising safety technologies from the design stage to the implementation and deployment stages is expected to lead to a reduction in large-truck crashes and their associated injuries and fatalities.

This program was established with a 5-year cooperative agreement to conduct three technology evaluation studies using naturalistic driving experimentation. The first study assessed a blind spot object detection and warning system and has been completed. The second study assessed the safety benefits of a kinematics-based driver monitoring and coaching technology. The third study evaluated a novel mirror design that uses a mathematical algorithm to control the angle at which each point of the mirror reflects light while minimizing visual distortion. 

 

More information on each of these evaluation projects can be found here:

Three technology assessment reports.

$900,000 

The final report for project #1 was published in January 2014 and may be accessed at:
http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/51000/51400/51416/FAST-DASH-Concurrence-Package.pdf.

 

The final report for project #2 was published in November 2016 and may be accessed at:

 

The final report for project #3 was published in November 2016 and may be accessed at:

Virginia Technical Transportation Institute