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FHWA Update - Operations Research:CARMA and Next Generation Traffic Management

Systems (TMS)

TRB Freeway Operations Committee Mid-Year Meeting

August 26, 2019

Jon Obenberger, Ph.D., P.E.Jon.Obenberger@dot.gov

FHWA Office of Operations Research and Development

Next Generation Traffic Management Systems

Vision: The next generation of TMSs are actively managing and optimizing the performance of the surface transportation system.

Mission: To develop, test and facilitate the use of advanced technologies, tools and methods to actively manage and seamlessly operate the next generation of TMSs with the applicable physical, connected & technology based platforms or ecosystems.

Coordination:FHWA Team – HRDO, HOTM, HOTO, RC, ITS JPOExternal – Traffic Management Center Pooled Fund Study, TRB Technical Committees, AASHTO CTSO ITS Work Group

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Next Generation Traffic Management Systems

Outcomes: Public agencies use the tools, methods, & resources developed by FHWA to improve travel by:

• Assess & prepare plans to improve capabilities & performance of TMSs;• Develop capabilities & deploy infrastructure to collect, use & share information w/ CAVs &

connected travelers;• Develop, test & maintain a modular digital platform & use of technologies to share

information & proactively coordinate w/other systems, service providers, & public; • Actively manage & optimize operational strategies, control plans, & use of public resources; & • Automatically monitor & report on performance of the systems & surface transportation

system.

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Next Generation Traffic Management Systems

Focus Areas or Tracks: 1. Assess, Improve & Report on Capabilities & Performance of TMSs2. Plan, Develop & Test Next Generation TMS3. Automate & Optimize Active Management & Operations of TMSs

Ongoing Projects:• Decision Support Subsystems for Next Generation of TMSs – Guidance• Framing the Capabilities of the Next Generation of TMSs - Awareness• Vision & Concept of Operations for Next Generation of TMSs – Guidance• Transitioning From Legacy to Next Generation TMSs - Awareness

New Projects in 2020:• Assessing the Capabilities of TMSs – Guidance & Awareness (Jointly funded by

FHWA & TMC Pooled Fund Study)

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Driving InnovationSource: FHWA.

Transportation Systems Management and Operations -

Use Cases and Automated Driving System (ADS) Update

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Driving Automation Systems ADS

SAE Automated Vehicle Levels

SAELevels of Automation

SAE J3016

No Driving Automation

Source: SAE 2019

SUBHEAD

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TSMO Strategies Table

Highlights the range of relevant TSMO strategies and their relationships to Cooperative-ADS.

Data TableUse-Case

Framework

Specifies the traffic management service (TMS) operational actions for each use-case in relation to the Cooperative-ADS automation levels and cooperation classes.

Scenarios

Describes sample events, circumstances, and road conditions under specified use-cases in order to demonstrate TMS and Cooperative-ADS stakeholder interactions.

Identifies the essential data elements needed to implement the corresponding TSMO strategies.

Elements of the High-Level ConOps

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Cooperative Automation USE CASES Example scenarios:

Engage in a platoon defined by a geofence.

Leader maintains safe time gap.

Followers maintain inter-platoon time gap.

Platoon size in one lane reduced from 5 cars to 2 cars.

Possible maneuvers with other Cooperative-ADS-equipped vehicles.

Road Weather

Example scenarios: Reduced command

speed entering work zone.

Defined by a stationary geofence.

Lane change assignment prior to entering work zone.

Maintain safe time gap through the work zone.

Possible maneuvers with other Cooperative-ADS-equipped vehicles.

Example scenarios: Reduced command

speed entering an area with low visibility.

Defined by a dynamic geofence.

Engage in larger time gap.

Maintain lane guidance.

Possible maneuvers with other Cooperative-ADS-equipped vehicles.

Basic Travel1 43

Example scenarios: Reduced command

speed entering traffic incident event.

Determined by infield geofence.

Lane change to provide space for first-responders.

Possible maneuvers with other Cooperative-ADS-equipped vehicles.

2Traffic Incident

Management (TIM) Work Zones

Source: FHWA. Source: FHWA. Source: FHWA. Source: FHWA.

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Key TSMO Strategies and Cooperative-ADS

TSMO Strategies and Baseline Data Elements

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Group 1 Priority Situations

1. Basic Travel: Merging onto a highway.

2. Work Zone Management: One-lane, two-way traffic taper.

3. Road Weather Management: Vehicle adjusts speed and prepares for other adjustments at beginning of weather event zone.

4. Traffic Incident Management: Vehicle moves out of way and clears space for first-responder vehicles driving towards incident.

Prioritization of TSMO Situations

SUBHEAD

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Elements of the Detailed ConOps

1. Introduction – Purpose, document overview, and scope.

2. Use Cases and Priority Situations – Typology, use cases, travel areas, situation groups, situations, and priority situations by use case area.

3. Examination of the four Use Case situations (Group 1) in relation to the following: a) Description of situation, incl. operational configuration.b) Operational needs.c) Identification of stakeholders, entities, and players.d) Operational description (user-oriented).e) Concept diagram and description of situation.f) Triggers to invoke situation.g) Requirements.h) Applicable performance metrics.i) Needs-to-requirements traceability matrix.

SUBHEAD

Situation “Triggers”

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Describes the various triggers potentially used to start executing the situation.

Each situation has different triggers. For example, the triggers for the Basic Travel situation are:1. Broadcast by ADS vehicle on the ramp.2. Acceleration of any vehicle on the parallel ramp lane next to the mainline lanes.3. Activation of the left-hand blinker on the vehicle on the ramp intending to merge onto the

highway (NOT a CARMA program consideration).4. Execution of the actual merging maneuver by the vehicle in the ramp acceleration lane.

Note that not all triggers are applicable or used within CARMA.

TSMO

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Functional RequirementsFunctional Requirements are for the specific situation (not for the entire use case) and are high-level.Includes indication of applicability of requirement to CARMA.

IDs numbering:• BT-Rx.xx (Basic Travel).• TIM-Rx.xx (Traffic Incident

Management).• WZM-Rx.xx (Work Zone).• RWM-Rx.xx (Road Weather).

Example shown is for Basic Travel situation.

FR ID# Functional Requirement Applicable to CARMA

BT-R1.01 An ADS vehicle with at least Cooperation Class 1 shall provide for the capability to avoid crashes with other vehicles (vehicles with or without cooperation class capabilities) prior to, during, and after completion of the merging maneuver. Communications shall be possible at least every 1/10 sec.

Yes, Class 2 and higher

BT-R1.02 An ADS vehicle with at least Cooperation Class 1 shall be able to broadcast its location, speed, heading, and brake status at least every 1/10 sec.

Yes, Class 2 and higher

BT-R1.03 An ADS vehicle with at least Cooperation Class 1 shall be able to receive, decode, process, analyze and use locations, speeds, and headings from other ADS vehicles with at least Cooperation Class 1 within its short-range communications range at least every 1/10 sec.

Yes, Class 2 and higher

BT-R1.04 An ADS vehicle with at least Cooperation Class 1 shall be able to receive, decode, process, analyze and use braking status from other ADS vehicles with at least Cooperation Class 1 within its short-range communications range at least every 1/10 sec.

Yes, Class 2 and higher

BT-R1.05 An ADS vehicle with at least Cooperation Class 1 shall be able to receive, decode, process, analyze and use locations, speeds, and headings from other ADS vehicles with at least Cooperation Class 1 via long-range communications within a configurable geofenced area at least every 1/10 sec.

Optional, Class 2 and

higher

BT-R1.06 An ADS vehicle with at least Cooperation Class 1 shall be able to receive, decode, process, analyze and use braking status from other ADS vehicles with at least Cooperation Class 1 via long-range communications within a configurable geofenced area at least every 1/10 sec.

Optional, Class 2 and

higher

BT-R1.07 An ADS vehicle with at least Cooperation Class 1 shall be able to broadcast its driving path for the last one minute at least every 1 sec. No

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Source: FHWA.

Scenario planning. Algorithm development. Field tests.

Next Steps:

More Information

FHWA Site – https://highways.dot.gov/research/research-programs/operations/CARMA

GitHub Site – https://github.com/usdot-fhwa-stol

Confluence Site – https://usdot-carma.atlassian.net/wiki

Jira Site – https://usdot-carma.atlassian.net/secure/Dashboard.jspa

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