Background

The transportation sector is undergoing a profound transformation driven by rapid advancements in technology. These innovations are reshaping how people and goods move, enhancing safety, efficiency, sustainability, and connectivity across communities.

A wide range of emerging technologies are contributing to this evolution, including:

• Shared Mobility Solutions – Car-sharing, ride-hailing, and micro-mobility services that reduce vehicle ownership and optimize transportation networks.
• Connected Vehicles (CVs) – Vehicles equipped with communication technologies that interact with each other and with infrastructure to improve traffic flow and safety.
• Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) – Self-driving cars and trucks that promise to revolutionize mobility by reducing human error and increasing accessibility.
• Alternative Fuel Vehicles – Electric, hydrogen, and hybrid vehicles that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on fossil fuels.
• Smart Cities and Communities – Urban environments that leverage data and technology to improve infrastructure, mobility, and quality of life.
• Smart Roadways – Infrastructure embedded with sensors and communication systems to support real-time traffic management and vehicle automation.
• Big Data Analytics – Tools that analyze vast amounts of transportation data to inform planning, operations, and policy decisions.
• Wireless Telecommunications – High-speed, reliable networks (e.g., 5G) that enable real-time vehicle and infrastructure communication.
• Internet of Things (IoT) – A network of interconnected devices that collect and share data to optimize transportation systems.
• Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) – Drones used for logistics, traffic monitoring, and emergency response.
• 3D Printing – Innovative manufacturing techniques that accelerate the production of vehicle parts and infrastructure components.
• Advanced Construction Materials and Processes – New materials and methods that enhance the durability, sustainability, and efficiency of transportation infrastructure.

Together, these technologies are not only modernizing transportation but also redefining how it supports economic growth, environmental stewardship, and social equity.

NCHRP Report 924

A National Cooperative Highway Research Program study (NCHRP Report 924) noted that, “Individually and together, these transformational technologies are already influencing how businesses and individuals use rights-of-way, curb space, and ancillary transportation facilities (e.g., parking and intermodal transfer facilities), and the land and structures accommodating activities that are travel demand intensive. Continued development and application of transformational technologies seems likely to accelerate such impacts.”

Future research and development will help determine how technologies will affect travel behavior and transportation services going forward.

NCHRP Synthesis 605

State departments of transportation (DOTs) are working to deploy electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, but face challenges and need AASHTO-type guidelines to help with deployment.

NCHRP Synthesis 605: Electric Vehicle Charging: Strategies and Programs, from TRB’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program, documents current strategies and practices in use by state DOTs to facilitate and coordinate the provision and operation of EV charging facilities. The synthesis also includes DOTs’ current plans to address the future maturity of EV charging, such as preparation for medium- and heavy-duty electrification.