Intelligent Vehicle Systems

Video of Next-Gen ITS Technology

Active Safety & Driverless Vehicles video

International Collaboration
on Vehicle Safety and
Automation

Collaboration internationale
pour la sécurité et
l'automatisation des véhicules

Unmanned and Downrange

Research and development of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) has been ongoing at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) since the early 1990s. In that time, we have seen remarkable advancements in the communications system technology and the software systems that have made highways and vehicles smarter. Additionally, automobile manufacturers and the military have made great strides in vehicle safety systems. Advances in these systems have saved countless lives and improved mobility on the highways of America and in-theater around the world.

Recently, there has been a strong push by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), European Commission, and others to connect the intelligent highway with the smart car. Additionally, recent dramatic advances led by defense science programs such as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Grand/Urban Challenge provide evidence that vehicle automation and unmanned systems are entering a rapid growth phase.

The Intelligent Vehicle Systems (IVS) Section at SwRI consists of electrical, mechanical, and computer engineers working together to conduct research and development in the following areas:

• Cooperative Systems
• Autonomous/Automated Systems
• Mobile Robotics Engineering

Engineers are actively developing IVS technology to solve difficult problems in a variety of industries including:

• Automotive
• Heavy equipment
• Transit
• Agriculture
• Construction
• Mining
• Manufacturing
• Space
• Entertainment
• Law enforcement
• Homeland security
• Military
• Humanitarian demining

Our client base within these industries includes:

• Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs)
• Tier I and Tier II suppliers
• DOD systems integrators
• Foreign and domestic governments
• Small disadvantaged businesses from a variety of countries

Project size varies by customer and by the magnitude of the problem to be solved. Most of the work that SwRI performs for clients is of an applied research and development nature, addressing specific technical problems with tangible and practical solutions. As a result, these programs are of an industrial proprietary nature. We routinely enter into nondisclosure agreements at the formative stages of a project.

IVS Facilities

SwRI's design and development activities mostly occur in our 2,200-square foot suite of IVS laboratories, and testing is conducted at a private SwRI test track. Both are located on SwRI's 1,200-acre grounds in San Antonio, Texas.

Recent Technology Demonstrations

• February 2008: Probe Data Application at New York VII Test Bed on Long Island, NY
• November 2008: Fully Autonomous Vehicle Negotiating Urban Environment in New York City, NY
• June 2009: DSRC Enabled Vehicle Platoon in Washington D.C.
• September 2009: UGV demonstration at the U.S. Army-sponsored Robotics Rodeo at Ft Hood, TX

SwRI IVS in the News

• Fully autonomous, driverless vehicles to be demonstrated at ITS World Congress
• SwRI plays significant role in 15th World Congress on ITS
• SwRI supports vehicle infrastructure integration demonstration at ITS World Congress
• SwRI, INRIA to demonstrate a cooperative vehicle-to-vehicle pedestrian safety system at ITS World Congress
• SwRI supports next phase of intelligent transportation technology
• SwRI signs international autonomous vehicle collaborative agreement
• SwRI expands international collaboration on autonomous vehicle technology

Domestic and International Collaboration

SwRI is engaged in an aggressive campaign to develop relationships with domestic and international firms well established and reputable in the design and development of autonomous ground vehicles, unmanned systems, active safety systems, and mobile robotics engineering. This effort benefits not only the advancement of the science but also establishes relationships in the global research community for the exchange of groundbreaking ideas.

On Sept. 5, 2007, SwRI signed an international collaboration agreement with INRIA, a French national institute that conducts fundamental and applied research in information and communication science and technology. The partnership is conducting joint research and exchanging intellectual property to foster rapid technology and system advancements in vehicle autonomy. Read more about this autonomous vehicle collaborative agreement.

On Feb. 25, 2008, SwRI signed with the Association pour la Recherche et le Developpement des Methodes et Processus Industriels (ARMINES), specifically the CAOR (Robotics Lab), a common research center of ARMINES and Mines Paris - ParisTech. Read more about this international collaboration on autonomous vehicle technology.

Related Terminology

intelligent transportation systems  •  IVS facilities  •  ITS  •  automation and data systems  •  cooperative vehicle systems  •  intelligent vehicle  •  intelligent highway  •  public safety enhancement  •  traffic management centers