Public Roads Vol. 88 No. 2

NHTSA · 2024 · ROSA P / United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway Administration. Office of Research, Development, and Technology

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Summary

This document is the Summer 2024 issue of *Public Roads*, a quarterly publication by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). It addresses the evolving landscape of transportation safety, technology, and infrastructure management through a collection of articles focusing on cybersecurity, connected vehicle data analysis, human factors in automation, and innovative local solutions. The issue is motivated by the need to enhance the resilience of transportation systems against modern cyber threats, leverage big data for safety improvements, and support the integration of automated driving systems. The publication presents findings from several distinct initiatives. First, it details an exploration of postevent connected vehicle (CV) data by the FHWA Office of Highway Policy Information. Researchers analyzed voluminous datasets from original equipment manufacturers and the ITS Joint Program Office pilot projects, utilizing Databricks platforms to process gigabytes of daily data. They identified roadway geolocations with high frequencies of extreme maneuvers, such as hard braking and acceleration, to pinpoint infrastructure deficiencies. Additionally, they utilized CV data to track seatbelt usage with high granularity, correlating it with vehicle speed and environmental factors. Second, the issue reviews a decade of developments in transportation cybersecurity. It highlights the shift from prank-based incidents to sophisticated ransomware and nation-state threats. The FHWA has responded by fostering collaboration between transportation operations and IT departments, developing a transportation-specific profile for the NIST cybersecurity framework, and creating procurement specifications that mandate cybersecurity features for intelligent transportation system devices. Key findings indicate that CV data offers unprecedented value for identifying safety risks and operational inefficiencies, though data quality and size remain significant challenges requiring robust analytical platforms. In cybersecurity, the FHWA notes a cultural shift among agencies from a "presumption of trust" to a "presumption of no trust." The agency has developed tools such as penetration testing guides, self-paced wargaming exercises, and a functional prototype application to help field personnel secure complex roadside devices. Furthermore, the issue highlights the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation’s expansion of the Mobile Unit Sensing Traffic (MUST) device, an innovation that monitors traffic and detects dangerous events on rural roads with limited infrastructure, addressing data scarcity in Tribal communities. The significance of these efforts lies in their contribution to a more resilient and data-driven transportation network. By integrating cybersecurity best practices and leveraging connected vehicle data, the FHWA aims to mitigate risks associated with increasing automation and digital connectivity. The publication underscores the importance of collaboration between government agencies, industry developers, and Tribal entities to ensure that technological advancements, such as automated driving systems and smart community resources, are deployed safely and effectively. The issue also honors historical innovators like Garrett A. Morgan, linking past inventiveness to current challenges in traffic safety and incident management.

Key finding

The publication aggregates diverse informational articles and resource announcements rather than presenting a single empirical research finding.

Methodology

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Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

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• ehmi external hmi

Information type

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• Applied Guidance: countermeasure evaluation
• Methodological Resource: dataset resource, tool software