U.S. Department of Transportation seeks business models for communication network

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) issued a Request for Information (RFI) April 4 to private industry, state and local governments and others seeking input on potential business models for the financing and operation of a nationwide communications network between vehicles and the roadway infrastructure. The input and ideas will be used to identify candidate models for the deployment of Vehicle Infrastructure Integration (VII), which will enable the advancement of crash avoidance technologies in vehicles, real-time traffic information to reduce congestion and improve navigational systems and other technologies that will improve the safety and efficiency of travel. As part of the VII initiative, RITA will conduct an operational field test of deployment-ready technologies at the November Intelligent Transportation Systems World Congress in New York City.