Principal Investigator(s):
Craig Shankwitz, Fmr Director, Intelligent Veh. Lab, Mechanical Engineering
Project summary:
In 2002, the Intelligent Vehicles Lab introduced lane guidance assistance to Metro Transit buses. The system was designed to help drivers of shoulder-running buses keep their lanes during periods of high congestion. This project aimed to equip ten Minnesota Valley Transit Authority buses with similar lane guidance technology. The researchers installed the new systems onto buses that covered Cedar Avenue, the Crosstown, and I-35, both into and out of downtown. In addition to helping drivers keep their lanes, the system also provided collision-avoidance feedback and assisted in precision docking. This project represented the first time that a comprehensive technology-based lane assistance system was put into operation. Since lane assistance represented a significant change for bus drivers, and because this project had a short deployment timeline, researchers also procured a driver training simulator that allowed drivers to become familiar with the new system before venturing out onto the open road. The new system was deployed on September 30, 2009.