Everywhere you go these days, people are talking about the future of transportation. Inevitably, conversations broach the concept of self-driving cars. Who will be the first to the finish line? Who will command the market? What will it be like? How will our world change? How safe will the cars be?

When it comes to the technology behind self driving cars, the safety aspect is always the first and foremost concern, understandably. No one wants to be driving around in a car that could veer out of control at any second. The stakes are high and the pressure is on for scientists to create a car that is safe, efficient and reliable.

In order to help reach that final goal, to create a world of driverless cars, the National Science Foundation has awarded the University at Buffalo and partners a $1.2 million grant. The grant will help to create a “a multifaceted research facility for self-driving and connected cars.” UB will be pitching in $500K as part of matching funds.

The project is led by Chunming Qiao, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) at UB. Partner organizations include Carnegie Mellon University, Cisco Systems and Southwest Research Institute.

“This significant award is a statement of confidence in the innovative work happening right here at the University at Buffalo,” said Congressman Brian Higgins.

Unbeknown to many, UB already has a significant stake in the transportation game, with driving, traffic and wireless networking simulators. These existing components will become part of a larger research platform dubbed iCAVE2 (Instrument for Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Evaluation and Experimentation). iCAVE2 will be synched to “a gadget-equipped vehicle, sensors and other instruments” that will be installed along a one-mile stretch of road at the North Campus.

Who would have thought that the North Campus would finally properly make good use of its rural environment? The campus is the perfect track and testing ground due to its remote location – even if it is a simulation.

“The grant builds upon the University at Buffalo’s robust and interdisciplinary research enterprise that works to make traffic systems smarter, safer and more sustainable,” said Liesl Folks, PhD, dean of UB’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. “It also gives us additional tools to engage with industry, nonprofits and other organizations.”

The simulators will create virtual driving scenarios, while recording the reactions of drivers, which will then be used to modify the systems.

“Traditionally, driving simulators and road testing facilities have operated independently of each other” said Qiao. “With iCAVE2, we are bridging that gap and creating a space where academia, information technology companies, automakers and other industries can evaluate and validate their products. The platform is designed to answer questions that relate to the safety, efficiency and sustainability of traffic systems where, increasingly, humans allow machines to do the work.”

According to a UB News Release, the project is another good fit for the university when it comes to transportation studies. This latest research initiative ties in with the Institute for Sustainable Transportation and Logistics (ISTL) and the UB-headquartered Transportation Informatics Tier 1 University Transportation Center – both are led by Adel Sadek, PhD, professor of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering (CSEE) at UB.

To think that Buffalo is not only making significant world advancements with Solar City, it is also now a part of the future of driverless cars. It’s an exciting time to be a part of all of these technological advancements, as they pertain to global industrial achievements.

Sadek and the following UB researchers are co-principal investigators of grant: Qing He, PhD, the Stephen Still Assistant Professor in Transportation Engineering and Logistics, affiliated with both CSEE and the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE) at UB; Kevin Hulme, PhD, senior research associate at UB’s Motion Simulation Laboratory; Dimitrios Koutsonikolas, PhD, CSE associate professor; Changxu Wu, PhD, ISE associate professor and CSE adjunct associate professor; and Lukasz Ziarek, PhD, CSE assistant professor.

Photographer: Douglas Levere | Driving Simulators in CEDAS, Furnes Hall