2023 Global Symposium

2023 Global Symposium on Mobility Innovation Presented by Mcity and UMTRI

We are excited to share with you the dates for the 2023 CCAT Global Symposium — April 4th and 5th. The sixth annual conference will be hosted at the Morris Lawrence Building at Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor, MI. Both in-person and virtual registration options will be available again. Join our mailing list to be the first to receive updates from the premier transportation event.

Registration

Event Location (Washtenaw Community College)

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Our Speakers

Below you can find our list of confirmed and invited speakers. This list will continuously update so be sure to check back regularly and join our mailing list.

Conference Program

Below, you can view the conference program by day. The program is subject to change. Check back here regularly and subscribe to our mailing list to receive updates.

DAY ONE (APRIL 4TH)

Time (ET)	Session/Location (% = ML 100, * = Towsley Auditorium, ! = ML 100K, ^ = ML 101, 103, 123, $ = ML 105, 121, & = Parking Lot)
7:30 – 8:00 AM	Check-In%
8:00 – 9:00 AM	Breakfast/Networking%
9:00 – 9:05 AM	Welcome* Dr. Rose B. Bellanca, President & CEO, Washtenaw Community College (WCC)
9:05 – 9:15 AM	Welcome/Opening Remarks* Dr. Henry Liu, Director, Center for Connected and Automated Transportation (CCAT) and Mcity, Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
9:15 – 10:00 AM	Autonomous Vehicle Caucus Fireside Chat* In September of 2022, a congressional caucus on Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) was announced by Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH). Its goal: to educate Members of Congress to recognize the need for clear laws pertaining to AVs so that the United States remains in the driver seat of these cutting-edge technologies. This Fireside Chat will serve as a moderated discussion on the newly formed Caucus and how members of academia, industry, and the public can participate. Moderator: Kristin White, Chief Operating Officer, Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITSA) Speakers: Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, Representative of Michigan’s 6th District, State of Michigan
10:00 – 10:15 AM	Break
10:15 – 11:15 AM	Panel Discussion #1: The Future of AVs^ Argo AI’s recent shutdown added more fuel to the argument coming from multiple corners that AVs will never deliver on early promises to dramatically improve traffic safety and reduce emissions while increasing transportation equity and accessibility. Growing investments in EV technologies account for some momentum shifting away from AVs. But technology challenges have dampened enthusiasm as well. Does that mean we’ll never see the benefits once envisioned for AVs? Or is this a reality check that could prompt more investment in research and development and a more measured assessment of what will be possible and when? In other words, what is the reality? Moderator: Michelle Krebs, Executive Analyst, Cox Automotive Speakers: Sam Abuelsamid, Principal Research Analyst, Guidehouse Insights Keith Hadi, Vice President of Vehicle Engineering, May Mobility Greg Stevens, President, Causality LLC Bryant Walker Smith, Associate Professor of Law and Engineering, University of South Carolina, Affiliate Scholar at the Center for Internet and Society, Stanford University
10:15 – 11:15 AM	Research Presentation #1: Promoting Inclusive Design and Deployment of Connected and Automated Vehicles for Older Adults Through Education and Training of Engineering Students and Older Drivers$ The development of connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) holds promise for reducing traffic crashes and maintaining mobility among older adults. However, challenges remain in ensuring that CAVs are accessible, acceptable, and otherwise inclusive for older adults. This presentation focuses on a classroom project intended to build awareness of and sensitivity to older adults’ needs and preferences relative to CAVs that was implemented in a human-centered design course for graduate-level engineering students at the University of Michigan, Dearborn. This presentation also discusses the results of an education study on older drivers about connected and automated vehicle technologies. This study involves presentations of Level 2 and Level 3 CAV features in the existing vehicle models to older drivers participating in the in-person training sessions, and data analyses from the before and after training surveys to assess changes in the awareness, understanding, and acceptance of the new vehicle safety features. Speakers: Dr. Lisa Molnar, Research Associate Professor in the Behavioral Sciences Group, U-M Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) Dr. Ping Yi, Professor of Civil Engineering, University of Akron Funded Research: Promoting Inclusive Design and Deployment of Connected and Automated Vehicles for Older Adults Through Education and Training of Engineering Students and Older Drivers
11:15 – 11:30 AM	Break
11:30 – 12:30 PM	Panel Discussion #2: Mobility Innovation Solutions in Under-resourced Communities^ Mobility is essential to provide individuals and communities with access to education, healthcare, job opportunities, and more. Services like public transit and mobility on demand can increase this access, but how can innovation better serve under-resourced communities? This panel will serve as a solutions-based discussion focused on providing greater mobility accessibility and equity with speakers from academia, government, and industry. Moderator: H. Luke Shaefer, Hermann and Amalie Kohn Professor of Social Justice and Social Policy, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan, Associate Dean for Research and Policy Engagement, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan Speakers: Dr. Tayo Fabusuyi, Assistant Research Scientist in the Human Factors Group, U-M Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) Tony Geara, Deputy Chief of Mobility Innovation, City of Detroit Valerie Lefler, Executive Director & CEO, Feonix – Mobility Rising
11:30 – 12:30 PM	Research Presentation #2: Integrating Connected Vehicle Data into Winter Operations Maintenance Activities$ Indiana has used connected vehicle data for the past decade to monitor winter operations. This presentation will discuss how Indiana fuses connected vehicle data and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) data using the Google Cloud to provide real-time winter operations dashboards. The scalability of these techniques will be demonstrated using a case study from the winter storm that impacted mobility across multiple states just prior to the Christmas 2022 Holiday. Speaker: Darcy Bullock, Lyles Family Professor of Civil Engineering, Purdue University, Director, Joint Transportation Research Program (JTRP), Co-Chair, Purdue Engineering Initiative in Autonomous and Connected Systems Funded Research: Intelligent Sidewalk De-Icing and Pre-Treatment with Connected Campus Maintenance Vehicles
12:30 – 1:30 PM	Lunch%
12:30 – 1:00 PM	Advanced Transportation Center Tour (Advanced Manufacturing Lab)! Registration is required (available during checkout).
12:30 – 1:00 PM	Advanced Transportation Center Tour (Automotive Cybersecurity Lab)! Registration is required (available during checkout).
1:30 – 2:00 PM	Afternoon Keynote* Keith Wilson, Program Manager of Global Ground Vehicle Standards, Society of Automotive Engineers International
2:00 – 2:15 PM	Break
2:15 – 3:15 PM	Panel Discussion #3: Securing Our Electric Vehicle Ecosystem^ Electric vehicles (EVs) are increasingly populating our streets paired with a growing, supporting infrastructure. EVs and the stations that charge them come with particular security and privacy challenges. This panel will highlight those security and privacy challenges as well as solutions, approaches, and gaps that still need to be filled. Moderator: Dr. André Weimerskirch, Vice President for Cybersecurity and Functional Safety, Lear Corporation Speakers: Faye Francy, Executive Director, Automotive Information Sharing and Analysis Center (Auto-ISAC) Sarah Hipel, Lead Interoperability Manager, Rivian Junho Hong, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Michigan-Dearborn Victor Murray, Assistant Director, Southwest Research Institute (SwRI)
2:15 – 3:15 PM	Research Presentation #3: Transforming transportation network equilibrium analysis paradigm via end-to-end learning$ In this talk, Professor Yin will share some results from recent research that aims to transform the transportation network equilibrium modeling paradigm via end-to-end learning. The research was motivated by observing that the existing equilibrium analysis paradigm has been established via a “bottom-up” approach, in which, e.g., the selection of behavior model for travel choices or the calibration of the supply function, is divorced from the end goal of the model building, i.e., prescribing an equilibrium flow distribution that matches observations as closely as possible. Leveraging recent advancements in game theory and machine learning, the research team hopes to develop an end-to-end framework that directly learns the demand- or/and supply-side components and the equilibrium state from empirical data. Speaker: Yafeng Yin, Professor and Interim Department Chair of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Funded Research: AI-enabled Transportation Network Analysis, Planning, and Operations
3:15 – 3:30 PM	Break
3:30 – 4:30 PM	Panel Discussion #4: Freight Electrification and Its Impact on our Environment and Road Infrastructure^ Electrification of our driving environment, including freight, is accelerating rapidly. This includes PepsiCo adding 100 Tesla semis to its fleet this year alone. What impact will this have on our driving environment? This panel is focused on the impact that long-haul freight electrification will have on our environment and road infrastructure. Moderator: Amelia Regan, Director of the Master in Supply Chain Transportation and Logistics, University of Washington Speakers: Earl Adams, Jr., Deputy Administrator, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Maureen Marshall, Midwest Regional Senior Director, CALSTART Cary Welsh, Senior Program Manager, Gladstein, Neandross & Associates (GNA) Katie Zehnder, Technology Department Leader, Vice President, HNTB
3:30 – 4:30 PM	Research Presentation #4: Quantifying Passenger Motion Sickness to Guide the Design of Automated Vehicles: The Importance of Considering Human Variability$ As automation transforms drivers into passengers, motion sickness will become an increasingly important problem. Previous research has shown that motion sickness response is highly variable, but the sample sizes have been too small for robust analysis of the potential effects of occupant characteristics. To address these gaps, 160 men and women with a wide range of motion sickness susceptibility and age were recruited for a large-scale study conducted on the Mcity test track and on-road routes. In addition to quantifying their level of motion sickness on a numerical scale, participants were asked to describe in words any motion-sickness-related sensations they experienced. Motion sickness ratings increased with task vs. no-task and vehicle speed levels and acceleration profiles. Interactions between test track acceleration levels/on-road routes and task conditions were also observed. Increased motion sickness susceptibility was associated with higher motion sickness ratings. In comparison to older participants (age>60), younger participants (age<35) experienced increased motion sickness. However, the combined factors accounted for a limited percentage of the variance. Self-reported sensations were also multidimensional and highly variable across individuals signifying that motion sickness is a multi-faceted response that extends beyond nausea. Models developed from passengers of a wide range of susceptibility and varying ages are imperative to inform strategies to detect and mitigate motion sickness in automated vehicles. Speaker: Dr. Monica Jones, Associate Research Scientist in the Biosciences Group, U-M Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) Funded Research: Quantifying Passenger Susceptibility to Motion Sickness to Guide the Design of AVs, Motion Sickness Response During On-Road Driving Conditions
4:30 – 4:45 PM	Break
4:45 PM – 5:45 PM	Panel Discussion #5: Global Smart Infrastructure Funding and Financing^ As digital infrastructure is increasingly integrated into how we manage and operate our assets, it will be important to have a framework for funding vs. financing. This panel will explore the complexities of smart infrastructure systems, specifically how they will be financed and where the sources of funding will come from. Panelists will highlight the implications of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill and the Inflation Reduction Act and will explore how the U.S. is performing compared to Japan and many European countries. Moderator: Peter Adriaens, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan Director, Center for Digital Asset Finance Speakers: Elise Feldpausch, Connected Vehicle Technical Specialist, Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Jason Koenig, Founder and Managing Partner, ITE Management Mark de la Vergne, VP of Project Development & External Affairs, Cavnue Jeremy Ward, Director of Operations, P3Mobility
4:45 – 5:45 PM	Research Presentation #5: The Safety of Vulnerable Road Users: A Data-Driven Examination$ In this talk, Dr. Bao will talk about safety issues (e.g., crash patterns and factors) related to pedestrians and cyclists on US roads through crash data and naturalistic driving data analysis. The set of work was supported by CCAT, Mcity, and Toyota. Speaker: Dr. Shan Bao, Associate Research Scientist in the Human Factors Group, U-M Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI), Associate Professor of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering, University of Michigan-Dearborn Funded Research: A Data-Driven Autonomous Driving System for Overtaking Bicyclists
5:45 – 6:00 PM	Closing Remarks^ Dr. James Sayer, Director, U-M Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI)
5:45 – 6:00 PM	Closing Remarks$ Dr. Henry Liu, Director, Center for Connected and Automated Transportation (CCAT) and Mcity, Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
6:00 – 7:00 PM	Strolling Dinner%
Time (ET)	Session/Location (% = ML 100, * = Towsley Auditorium, ! = ML 100K, ^ = ML 101, 103, 123, $ = ML 105, 121, & = Parking Lot)

DAY TWO (APRIL 5TH)

Time (ET)	Session/Location (% = ML 100, * = Towsley Auditorium, ! = ML 100K, ^ = ML 101, 103, 123, $ = ML 105, 121, & = Parking Lot)
7:30 – 8:00 AM	Check-In%
8:00 – 9:00 AM	Breakfast/Networking%
9:00 – 9:15 AM	Welcome/Opening Remarks* Dr. James Sayer, Director, U-M Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI)
9:15 – 9:45 AM	Accessibility Fireside Chat* In this discussion, representatives from General Motors and Cruise will discuss the accessibility efforts that the organizations are making. This includes the Cruise Origin which features wheelchair securement. Questions from the audience will be addressed. Speakers: Michele Lee, Senior Public Affairs Manager, Cruise Carrie Morton, Chief Engineer of Accessibility, General Motors
9:45 – 10:00 AM	Break
10:00 – 11:00 AM	Panel Discussion #1: Public Transit Automation^ Public transit provides our transportation environment with a wide range of benefits from reduced air pollution to decreased traffic congestion. Automation of these systems brings several possibilities and challenges. This panel will highlight the benefits of focusing on public transit automation versus private vehicle ownership, the challenges each organization faces, and how to create a successful deployment from a design and operational standpoint. Moderator: Meghan Grela, Autonomous Mobility Practice Lead, Via Transportation Speakers: Harmony Lloyd, Vice President of Planning and Innovation, SMART Bus Gwo-Wei Torng, Director of the Office of Mobility Innovation, Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Satish Udpa, University Distinguished Professor and Campus Mobility Director, Michigan State University Daisy Wall, Director of Government Business, May Mobility
10:00 – 11:00 AM	Research Presentation #1: Quantitative Assessment of an Integrated Freight Delivery System Using Connected Trucks and Drones$ Transporting freight through truck platoons, with advanced driver-assist systems and last-mile drone delivery, holds the promise of reducing energy, emissions, and costs while increasing road user safety. Integration and implementation of these technologies in a high volume freight corridor depend on several factors, including roadway’s suitability for platoons, available investment for upgrading to connected infrastructure, incorporation of last-mile delivery options, and pavement structural capacity. In this work, a rural principal arterial corridor was selected for a commercial freight-delivery case study to demonstrate the cost and benefits of an integrated freight-delivery system. Quantitative analysis and assessment will be presented for a conventional freight trucking operation versus a truck platoon with last-mile delivery using drones. Speakers: Hadi Meidani, Associate Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Funded Research: Impact of Autonomous Freight Delivery on Trucking Operations
11:00 – 11:15 AM	Break
11:15 – 12:15 PM	Panel Discussion #2: Workforce Development^ Workforce development is an essential piece of the puzzle to create more talented and productive students and personnel. From the Perot Jain TechLab at Mcity program to MDOT’s Transportation Diversity Recruitment Program (TDRP), there are several growth opportunities in the State of Michigan and beyond. This panel will focus on workforce development and the efforts that academia, government, and industry are making to prepare students as they enter the ever-changing transportation space. Moderator: Nick Moroz, Director of Entrepreneurial Practice, Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Michigan Speakers: Cemre Kavvasoglu, Product Management Director of North America, Adastec Spencer Lucker, Director of Strategic Talent Initiatives, Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) Amber Thelen, Organizational Development Officer, Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Daphne Tsai, Undergraduate Student in Computer Science, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
11:15 – 12:15 PM	Research Presentation #2: Transportation Security Index$ To deploy future mobility technologies in ways that will promote transportation equity, we need to better understand the landscape of transportation insecurity in the United States and develop tools that will enable researchers to evaluate whether such technologies are successfully moving people from transportation insecurity to transportation security. This research has three objectives: 1) use nationally representative data collected in 2018 to deepen our understanding of transportation insecurity in the U.S. 2) further the development of the Transportation Security Index, the first validated individual measure of its kind that was explicitly designed to measure transportation insecurity as it is directly experienced by people, regardless of where they live or what mode of transportation they use. 3) using the nationally representative data collected in 2022, nationwide and subgroup prevalence estimates will be identified. Speaker: Alexandra Murphy, Assistant Professor in Sociology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Funded Research: Transportation Insecurity: Deepening our knowledge Base and Refining Measurement to Better Understand the Impact of Future Mobility Technologies
12:15 – 1:15 PM	Lunch%
12:15 – 12:45 PM	Advanced Transportation Center Tour (Advanced Manufacturing Lab)! Registration is required (available during checkout).
12:15 – 12:45 PM	Advanced Transportation Center Tour (Automotive Cybersecurity Lab)! Registration is required (available during checkout).
1:15 – 1:30 PM	Afternoon Keynote* Dr. Rose B. Bellanca, President & CEO, Washtenaw Community College (WCC)
1:30 – 2:00 PM	Afternoon Keynote* John Kwant, Executive Director, Americas, 5G Automotive Association (5GAA)
2:00 – 3:30 PM	Student Poster Competition%
2:00 – 3:30 PM	Research Demonstrations&% View the list in the Demonstrations section.
3:30 – 3:45 PM	Break
3:45 – 4:00 PM	Student Poster Session Award Ceremony*
4:00 – 4:15 PM	Closing Remarks* Dr. Henry Liu, Director, Center for Connected and Automated Transportation (CCAT) and Mcity, Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Time (ET)	Session/Location (% = ML 100, * = Towsley Auditorium, ! = ML 100K, ^ = ML 101, 103, 123, $ = ML 105, 121, & = Parking Lot)

Student Poster Competition

The sixth annual Student Poster Competition at the CCAT Global Symposium, sponsored by the Intelligent Transportation Society of Michigan, returns and invites undergraduate and graduate-level students at U.S.-based institutions to participate. You can explore the abstracts and posters of the finalists early. The voting form will be made available on this page on April 5th.

Undergraduate Finalists

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Graduate Finalists

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Demonstrations

For the first time, the CCAT Global Symposium on Mobility Innovation presented by Mcity and UMTRI will feature live demonstrations from the three organizations. The demonstrations will take place on Wednesday, April 5th at the same time as the Student Poster session. Outdoor demonstrations will occur, weather permitting. Explore the list of demonstrations below:

Demonstration	Description (& = Parking Lot 2, % = ML 100)
A	Automated Wheelchair Tiedown and Occupant Restraint System (AWTORS)& This system could be used in automated vehicles where a driver is not available to help secure the wheelchair and occupant. Hardware has been designed to meet the Universal Docking Interface Geometry specified in voluntary wheelchair safety standards WC18 and WC19. Demonstrator: Dr. Kathleen Klinich, Associate Research Scientist in the Biosciences Group, U-M Transportation Research Institute, DEI Lead, U-M Transportation Research Institute Funded Research: Development of an Automated Wheelchair Tiedown and Occupant Restraint System
B	Connected Vehicle Brine Applicator& An automated brine application system for deicing and pretreatment during winter operations was developed by the Purdue CCAT team.  Participants will have the opportunity to ride in the prototype sidewalk system that uses precision Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) positioning to turn on and off brine applications on sidewalks. Demonstrator: Darcy Bullock, Lyles Family Professor of Civil Engineering, Purdue University, Director, Joint Transportation Research Program (JTRP), Co-Chair, Purdue Engineering Initiative in Autonomous and Connected Systems Funded Research: Intelligent Sidewalk De-Icing and Pre-treatment with Connected Campus Maintenance Vehicles
C	Brine Applicator Tanker& The Indiana Department of Transportation will be exhibiting their 4,500-gallon tanker (and controls) that is implemented statewide on 8 tractor trailers.
D	Motion Sickness Mitigation Vehicle& This project developed a passenger motion sickness mitigation solution that employs preemptive or anticipatory control of active seats in autonomous vehicles (AVs). The strategy leverages existing science on the cause of motion sickness and the vehicle was tested in the Mcity Test Facility. Demonstrator: Daniel Sousa Schulman, Ph.D. Candidate in Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan Funded Research: Motion Sickness Alleviation via Anticipatory Control of Active Seats in Autonomous Vehicles
E	Live Traffic from State/Ellsworth% As part of the ATCMTD project, cameras and sensors were placed at the State/Ellsworth intersection in Ann Arbor, considered to be one of the most crash-prone in the state of Michigan. View real-time traffic and path prediction and how it feeds the naturalistic driving environment (NDE). Demonstrator: Sean Shen, Researcher Engineer in the Engineering Systems Group, U-M Transportation Research Institute Funded: Smart Intersections Project
F	xBOT& This project developed a robot (xBOT) that is customized for testing autonomous-connected vehicles. The xBOT platform itself is an automated-connected and modified Segway Ninebot with an external shell that allows it to behave, and be perceived, as a free-moving pedestrian, scooter, bicycle, motorbike, or full-sized vehicle in actual street environments. Demonstrators: Sridhar Lakshmanan, Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Michigan-Dearborn Funded Research: xBOT – A Versatile Robot to Assist Testing of Autonomous-Connected Vehicles
G	Mcity 2.0% Thanks to a $5.1 million grant from the National Science Foundation, the Mcity Test Facility is evolving into the next-generation autonomous vehicle test track. This evolution will provide easy, remote access to CAV testing resources, and will help create a more equitable playing field in mobility. Demonstrator: Greg McGuire, Managing Director, Mcity Funded Research: Mcity 2.0
H	Mcity Automated Proxy Platform (MAPP)& This demonstration will showcase some of the capabilities of the Mcity Automated Proxy Platform (MAPP), a robotic ground vehicle designed to carry proxy objects for simulating vulnerable road users and other dynamic objects in the Mcity Test Facility. The demo will show how MAPP can move and respond to user input via remote control, API, and Web Interface. Demonstrator: Ryan D. Lewis, Web/Robotics Developer, Mcity Funded Research: N/A
Demonstration	Description (& = Parking Lot 2, % = ML 100)

Tours

For the first time, the CCAT Global Symposium on Mobility Innovation presented by Mcity and UMTRI will feature tours of facilities within the Advanced Transportation Center (ATC) at Washtenaw Community College. These are walking tours that serve as free, add-ons available to in-person attendees. More details on the two tours can be found below.

Al Lecz, Director of the Advanced Transportation Center at Washtenaw Community College, will lead a tour of the Automotive Cybersecurity Lab. This certificate program is designed to meet the emerging demand for highly skilled automotive cybersecurity professionals by developing skills and strategies needed to test security related to automobile networks and related infrastructure. They work with various automobile networks including CAN, LIN, Ethernet, and FlexRay as well as explore protocols and messages produced by vehicles that could be vulnerable to attacks.

Allen Day, Instructor of Transportation Technologies at Washtenaw Community College, will lead a tour of the Transportation Technologies and Advanced Manufacturing lab. In this program, students learn about the exciting, technology-filled world of data acquisition processes used in automotive testing. They gain the skills needed to fabricate and instrument testing systems used for transportation development and work with chassis dynamometers and carbon fiber part construction.

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