Safe-D: Safety through Disruption

Fueled by the inevitable changes in our transportation system, the Safety through Disruption (Safe-D) University Transportation Center (UTC) endeavors to maximize the potential safety benefits of disruptive technologies through targeted research that addresses the most pressing transportation safety questions.

News


Smart Work Zone System wins Innovation Award

Innovation Award Winners - Photo from ATSSA

A Dynamic, Real-Time Smart Work Zone received a second place innovation award ATSSA’s 52nd Annual Convention & Traffic Expo.

Thinking Transportation podcast

Zac Doerzaph

Safe-D director Zac Doerzaph (VTTI) sat down with Greg Winfree, director of TTI, to talk about the nation’s mobility priorities and what university-based research can do to support them on the Thinking Transportation Podcast.

VT Doodle

Spin Researcher Jean Paul Talledo Vilela Updates GPS and Gyroscope Software

Safe-D researcher Jean Paul Talledo Vilela (VTTI) was featured in the Virginia Tech Doodle on September 20th. The doodle shows him updating GPS and Gyroscope software.

Driving Risk Evaluation Web Application

Feng Guo

Detecting crashes and near-crashes in real-time can greatly benefit traffic safety management, development of safety countermeasures, and naturalistic driving data analysis.

Driver safety at forefront of VTTI research on hard-braking and other hard acceleration maneuvers

Calculations cover the glass in Feng Guo's office

VTTI researchers are using advanced machine learning and statistical methods to examine key characteristics of high G-force events and their connection with crashes and develop machine-learning models that can help predict crashes from high G-force events in real-time.

Public Information Officers’ Quick Reference: Social Media Guidelines for Discussing Automated Vehicles

As part of a research project (Data Mining Twitter to Improve Automated Vehicle Safety), Safe-D researchers have created guidelines for automated vehicle crash responses to help public information officers structure their communications about crashes.

About


Fueled by the inevitable changes in our transportation system, the Safety through Disruption (Safe-D) University Transportation Center (UTC) endeavors to maximize the potential safety benefits of disruptive technologies through targeted research that addresses the most pressing transportation safety questions. With the outstanding leadership of the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute and the Texas A&M Transportation Institute in a mentoring collaboration with the new transportation research group at San Diego State University, a Hispanic-serving institute known for educating the transportation workforce, our geographically balanced consortium encompasses the largest collection of transportation safety researchers in the nation and provides unparalleled expertise, facilities, and resources to conduct impactful research towards our long-term vision. The Safe-D Center will focus its efforts in three key areas: (1) cutting-edge research by leading transportation safety experts and their students; (2) education and workforce development with programs for all levels from grade school through college to continuing education for professionals; and (3) fully supported technology transfer including practitioner training partnerships, social networking, commercialization, and intellectual property management.

Mission

The mission of Safe-D is to proactively promote safety through a data-driven collaboration among the nation’s brightest researchers.

Vision

The vision of Safe-D is a nation with a systemically safe transportation system.

Theme Areas

  • Connected Vehicles
  • Automated Vehicles
  • Transportation as a Service
  • Big Data Analytics

Director

The Safe-D consortium was assembled by the Director, Dr. Zachary Doerzaph, with the expressed intent to make significant progress toward a nation with systemically safe travel through research, education and workforce development, and technology transfer efforts.

Partner with Us


To effectively usher in the next generation of transformative technologies in transportation, the Safe-D UTC believes that it is critical to partner with industry representatives, university faculty, and young students in all Center activities. Accordingly, the Safe-D UTC is seeking partners for targeted research and development activities, educational and workforce development programs, and technology transfer efforts aimed at commercialization and deployment.