Automated Vehicle for Enhanced Work Crew Safety

The automated vehicle conversion system presented in this report provides a low-cost method of reducing worker exposure to hazardous conditions. Automation of a traffic control vehicle not only eliminates the risk to the life of the driver but also eliminates the labor expense of a driver. Safety is additionally enhanced to work crews and motorists by allowing the system to be used in situations where the added expense of a driver is not practical. This is particularly true for local highway departments with limited budgets. Future benefits include automated collision-prevention and completely autonomous intelligent vehicle tracking, navigation and control for IVHS.