A few recent examples of our work with connected and automated vehicles (CAVs):
- How do human interact with automated vehicle technologies, such as during transitions of control and measuring trust in the technology?
- How do automated vehicles perform on rural roadways?
- How can connected vehicles communicate with each other to improve safety in rural settings?
Project spotlight: ADS for Rural America
ADS for Rural America is funded by the U.S. DOT and aims to improve safety on our roadways, represent rural roads in AV research, and broaden mobility for those in rural areas.

ADS for Rural America
Visit our project website to learn more about this demonstration project that uses an automated shuttle bus, now on Iowa roads.
News: Connected and automated vehicles

ADS Webinar #5 recording: 9 Things to Know When Testing AVs on Rural Roads
Tuesday, November 14, 2023
Watch the recording of our fifth webinar to learn about our top nine challenges and successes from testing a highly automated vehicle on rural Iowa roads, including driving under automation on gravel, in winter weather, using high speeds (65 mph), and more.

TR News article published: 'Automated vehicles in rural America: What’s the holdup?'
Friday, October 13, 2023
TR News recently published an article with two of our Iowa team authors titled 'Automated vehicles in rural America: What’s the holdup?'
Representing Rural America: Testing Automated Driving on Rural Roads
Friday, July 7, 2023
The University of Iowa is leading the way in testing a highly automated vehicle on unmarked and gravel roads, in winter weather, and at highway speeds.

UI researchers’ highly-automated van has ‘amazing potential’ for rural areas
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
The Gazette reports: The white Ford Transit could be a campus shuttle or a rural transit service van. Only those aboard the vehicle knew it was driving itself around the University of Iowa’s Oakdale research campus. ...

Univ. of Iowa researchers become one of the first to test driverless bus on rural roads
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
KCRG reports: The University of Iowa is shared their results on a self-driven bus that has traveled hundreds of miles throughout rural Iowa. ...

Automated vehicles could become a viable transportation alternative
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
KWWL reports: In Coralville on Tuesday, the Driving Safety Research Institute showed off the results of 2.5 years of research into automated vehicles on rural roads. ...
Pagination
Connected vehicle example
Blind corners and cresting hills can be dangerous spots on rural Iowa roads. In a project with the Iowa DOT, we tested an alert system that alerts drivers to hazards on the road before the driver may see them.
Contact

Omar Ahmad
Title/Position
Deputy Director