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BRITISH COLUMBIA
Funding automation
Federal government providing grants for automated vehicle research
By Derek Clouthier
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA
Thanks to federal grant funding, the City of Vancouver will be looking to expand its use of auton- omous vehicles, including voca- tional trucks used for city services.
In collaboration with Vancouver’s Fire and Rescue Services, Police Department, and the Board of Parks and Recreation, the city will use the $386,000 it received from Transport Canada to prepare for the wider use of con- nected and automated vehicles on its streets. The city will also allo- cate funds for research to inform future infrastructure require- ments and autonomous vehicle types, as well as prepare for a pilot program that is expected to be implemented with future addi- tional funding.
Sabrina Scalena, corporate communications for the City
of Vancouver, said the funding, which is through the federal gov- ernment’s Program to Advance Connectivity and Automation
in the Transportation System (ACATS), will include research and collaboration with civic operations and input from the University of British Columbia and other experts with experi- ence in connected and automated technologies.
“Through this work,” she said, “we will examine a variety of auton- omous vehicle types and the infra- structure needs to answer ques- tions like, how will connected and autonomous technologies inte- grate with our streets and public realm? How should autonomous vehicles be enforced and regulated? How can we ensure we the benefits of these technologies support our mobility and safety goals while mit- igating potential risks?”
Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson said he is pleased the federal government is supporting these kinds of initiatives and how they fit into the future of the trans- portation network.
“Thanks to this funding,” he said, “we will learn more about how automated vehicles can help make our cities safer, less con- gested, and 100% renewably powered.”
Vancouver is not the only city in Canada to receive funding for autonomous research and testing.
Under the ACATS program, Transport Canada is providing $2.9 million in funding to help jurisdictions prepare for con- nected and autonomous vehicles.
Pierre Manoni, media relations with Transport Canada, pointed out several municipalities and
Trucks like those used by Vancouver’s Board of Parks and Recreation will work collaboratively to prepare the city for wider use of autonomous vehicles.
Canada to test truck platooning on a closed test track.
Last year, testing focused on various separation distances, aero- dynamic configurations, speed, and weight. This year, they have looked closer at separation dis- tances, as well as passenger vehicle cut-ins, speed variations, and mis- matched vehicles.
In June 2017, Transport Canada published a regulation to mandate electronic stability control in heavy trucks and buses – a crash avoidance technology it says will improve driver control and help prevent rollovers.
Canada’s minister of Transport, Marc Garneau, said connected and automated technology will have a tremendous impact on the country’s transportation system, including in Vancouver where
the most recent funding has been allocated.
“This funding will help our stake- holders improve their understand- ing of connected and automated vehicle technologies,” said Garneau, “and how to safely and securely integrate them into our road system in order to capture their many benefits.” TW
organizations that have received ACATS funding.
In Alberta, the City of Calgary was granted $290,000 to establish a connected vehicle test bed and another $50,000 to test an auto- mated shuttle connecting light rail transit with the Calgary Zoo and the Telus Spark Science Centre. The University of Alberta received $500k for technologies to enhance the privacy of connected vehicles.
“Thanks to this funding we will learn more about how automated vehicles can help make our cities safer, less congested, and
100% renewably powered.”
–Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson
In Saskatchewan, the City of Saskatoon got $25,000 to help support capacity building on con- nected and automated vehicles.
Funding has also been allocated for several initiatives in Ontario, Ottawa, and nationally.
Transport Canada is currently looking at a number of connected and autonomous vehicle technolo- gies, including those for light truck and long-haul applications.
On-board sensors, cameras, global positioning systems, and telecommunications technologies are a few examples of where the government is doing its research.
“Many of today’s vehicles, including some commercial vehi- cles, already feature partial auto- mation, including speed control, braking, and conditional steer-
ing,” said Manoni. “Transport Canada has been assessing some of the components of automated vehicles for many years, including the safety performance of auto- mated-braking, forward-colli- sion-warning, and lane-keeping technologies.”
Transport Canada has also con- ducted “extensive testing” of truck platooning systems. Over the last two years, the government has col- laborated with the University of California Partners for Advancing Transportation Technology and the National Research Council of
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October 2018 • Truck West 23