MADISON — Transportation partners joined the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) in Madison Tuesday for the fall meeting of the Wisconsin Automated Vehicle External (WAVE) Advisory Committee.

The WAVE Advisory Committee is a forum of stakeholders that meets twice a year to provide input and advice on the impact of Connected and Automated Vehicle (CAV) technologies in the development of Wisconsin’s transportation system. The committee discusses topics including equity, safety for vulnerable road users, law enforcement and first responders, cybersecurity and research.

“CAV technology has the potential to help us reduce crashes and injuries on Wisconsin roads, but WisDOT must be prepared to adapt as those innovations continue to evolve and develop,” Lea Collins-Worachek, administrator of WisDOT’s Division of Budget and Strategic Initiatives, said. “The WAVE Advisory Committee helps us shape our plans to better meet the needs of Wisconsin industries and communities that rely on our transportation system.”

WAVE Advisory Committee members include nonprofit groups, industry professionals, academics, lawmakers, and state, local and federal agency representatives. During the fall meeting, members were tasked with helping WisDOT create a resource guide for partners and stakeholders as they begin to create strategies to implement CAV technology in local communities.

“The WAVE Advisory Committee, led by WisDOT, offers invaluable collaboration on advancing safe, efficient and accessible automated vehicle technologies throughout the state of Wisconsin. This collaboration, including public agencies and private industry, is crucial for shaping policies and infrastructure that will support a safer, more connected transportation future for everyone. I’m extremely grateful that the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the Wisconsin Transportation Center, and the College of Engineering TOPS Laboratory is providing a critical role in this endeavor,” David Noyce, UW-Madison professor and executive director of the UW TOPS Laboratory, said. 

Since the WAVE Advisory Committee formed in 2020, the group has helped WisDOT implement a number of new strategies to accommodate and understand CAV technology, including conducting a survey to assess public perception of CAV in Wisconsin, creating training materials for law enforcement and first responders, and piloting a work zone data exchange to provide road construction information to vehicle navigation systems and apps like 511 Wisconsin.

CAV technology is designed to improve safety and reduce the risks of human errors that lead to crashes. Connected Vehicles (CVs) communicate with other CVs, infrastructure and vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and bicyclists. An example of a CV technology is adaptive traffic light controls for emergency vehicles. 

Automated Vehicles (AVs) use cameras and sensors to perform some driving functions, such as steering and braking, to avoid crashes. Many of these technologies are installed in newer vehicles, but Wisconsin state law currently requires an operator to be behind the wheel and in physical control of a vehicle at all times while driving on Wisconsin roadways.