Smart Columbus – the smart city initiative of the City of Columbus, OH – recently released its Concept of Operations (ConOps) for its Connected Vehicle Environment (CVE) pilot. The purpose of this ConOps is to convey an overview of the system to be implemented from the viewpoint of each stakeholder, frame the overall system, set the technical course for the project, and serve as a bridge between early project motivations and the technical requirements.
The CVE pilot project will consist of two parts:
- CV Infrastructure – the focus on building out the physical and logical CV infrastructure, which will consist of CV hardware and software on-board equipment, front and back haul communications, and equipment interfaces.
- CV Applications and Data – deploying CV-specific applications that will leverage the data generated by the infrastructure to deliver real-time safety and mobility services. The data will be collected, stored, and made available for use in other Smart Columbus project applications.
The CVE project will integrate smart traveler applications, automated vehicles, connected vehicles, and smart sensors into its transportation network by focusing on building infrastructure and applications. Three interconnected Smart Corridors will include approximately 115 dedicated short-range communications roadside units deployed in locations associated with intersections with stop-lights, school zones, and bus stops. Up to 1,800 participating private, emergency transit and freight vehicles will receive on-board units (OBUs). This CV concept will support in-vehicle warning for red lights and school zones, along with transit signal priority and emergency vehicle preemption for select vehicles. The city’s plan for AV deployment includes fully autonomous, CV-enabled electric vehicles, operating on public roadways, and coordinated with the local transit agency to solve first/last mile challenges.
The Concept of Operations has the following improvements as its goals:
- vehicle operator safety;
- intersection safety;
- school zone safety;
- reliability of transit vehicle schedule adherence;
- emergency vehicle response times; and,
- traffic management capabilities.
The CVE will also provide sources of high-quality data for traffic management and safety purposes. The city is hosting a series of webinars to explain the project and connect with stakeholders.
