Intelligent Vehicle Systems Facilities
Intelligent Vehicle Systems

Intelligent Vehicle Systems (IVS) design and development activities at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) occur in laboratories devoted to the development of unmanned/autonomous operations, active safety systems, cooperative vehicle systems, and mobile robotics engineering. This 2,200-square foot suite of laboratories consists of two vehicle bays, re-radiated GPS, and extensive computing and development workstations as well as a broad range of test equipment designed to evaluate various component performance characteristics.

Test Track Onsite

SwRI conducts fleet testing for major automotive Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and suppliers on a test track at our facility in San Antonio, Texas. The track is a 1.16 mile (1.87 km) oval, non-banked, single-lane, paved surface. There are four 40' (12 m) towers at the corners of the track with retractable shuttles. Each tower has power and fiber optics that connect it to the track building, which is connected to our facility network. Additionally, an overhead truss is located over one straight-away for over-lane equipment.

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SwRI advanced mobile communications test track

We recently completed a major modification to our test track. We installed an intersection capable of high speed maneuvers, which soon will be equipped with a traffic signal controller and Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) communications. This new facility will be utilized for investigating the feasibility of vehicle interactions at intersections.

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SwRI's test track

Additionally, our 1,200-acre (5 km2) private facility is outfitted with DSRC and can be closed for specific urban environment system testing. We have used this option to support numerous teams in preparation for the DARPA Urban Challenge.

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Map of SwRI facilities

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

Benefiting government, industry and the public through innovative science and technology
Southwest Research Institute® (SwRI®), headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, is a multidisciplinary, independent, nonprofit, applied engineering and physical sciences research and development organization with 11 technical divisions.
07/13/12