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Research Will Help Guide Decisions on Big Data and Autonomous Vehicles

Posted: Apr 27, 2021

Research at Utah State University is establishing a reference for transportation agencies to use in making budgetary or policy decisions regarding autonomous vehicles and big data management. The researchers collected roadway geospatial data with a simple mobile LiDAR (light detection and ranging) setup in order to generate conservative estimates of autonomous vehicle data sizes. This was done by driving along selected roadways at varying speeds and varying operating modes of the LiDAR unit. The data were analyzed both graphically and statistically to determine general data trends. Ideally, agencies will gain a better understanding and expectation of the potential data and can negotiate better, or more targeted, deals with data providers based on their needs. Additionally, this research could act as a starting point for agencies looking to initiate the use of LiDAR in their operations.

Michelle Mekker, Ph.D.
Utah State University

Uses and Challenges of Collecting LiDAR Data from a Growing Autonomous Vehicle Fleet: Implications for Infrastructure Planning and Inspection Practices
MPC-21-427

NDSU Dept 2880P.O. Box 6050Fargo, ND 58108-6050
(701)231-7767ndsu.ugpti@ndsu.edu