Monday, January 16, 2017

WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff designing framework for connected and automated vehicle test facility

The American Center for Mobility (ACM) has awarded a contract to WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff to develop a concept of operations, system requirements, and procurement strategy for the technology elements of a major new connected and automated vehicle test site facility planned at a state-owned site in southeast Michigan.

The ACM will be built on more than 335 acres adjacent to Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti, where B-24 bombers were made during World War II in a factory built by Henry Ford. It will become a national-scale advanced automotive testing and product development center that can accommodate the broad needs of industry and government, test various weather conditions including ice and snow, and provide room to grow and adapt as technology dictates. The testing, education, and product development center will serve as a site for precautionary testing before vehicles are deployed on the road and a proving ground for collaborative safety technology demonstrations. The ACM will also serve as a convening center to accelerate the development of voluntary standards.

The concept of operations will define requirements for the test facility, including connected vehicle infrastructure, traditional intelligent transportation systems (ITS) technologies, data collection, monitoring, and test simulation needs associated with the site. The final document will include a user-oriented system description, definition of operational needs, and system overview. It will also establish a proposed operational and support environment for the facility as well as potential operational scenarios. The report will establish high-level system requirements and lay out a phased procurement strategy.

As the prime consultant, WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff will coordinate with staff and contractors to develop a complete baseline understanding of the project, identify all user needs, establish a proposed phasing for the site development, and coordinate all third party agreements that could impact the design concept. The firm will conduct outreach meetings in Southeast Michigan with key stakeholders and customers to identify system needs. Completion of the concept of operations is expected in early 2017.

As an engineering and professional services consulting firm, WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff provides services designed to transform the built environment and restore the natural one. The firm’s expertise ranges from environmental remediation and urban planning to engineering iconic buildings and designing sustainable transport networks to developing the energy sources of the future and enabling new ways of extracting essential resources. Approximately 36,500 employees, including engineers, technicians, scientists, planners, surveyors, program and construction management professionals, and various environmental experts work in more than 500 offices across 40 countries worldwide. For more information, visit wsp-pb.com/usa.

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