GoMentum Station, in coordination with the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) and its partners Honda and the City of Concord, showcased Honda's automated vehicle testing program at GoMentum Station, the largest secure Connected Vehicle (CV) and Autonomous Vehicle (AV) proving grounds in the U.S.
GoMentum Station features 20 miles of paved roadway on a 5,000-acre site located in the decommissioned zone of the Concord Naval Weapons Station (CNWS). The site contains paved, city-like roadway grids, buildings, and other urban infrastructure, providing a realistic environment to accelerate Honda's development of automated and connected vehicle technologies. There, GoMentum Station and its partners will incubate a new generation of technology that has the potential to revolutionize transportation infrastructure.
"The Contra Costa Transportation Authority and GoMentum Station are committed to supporting innovative research that will influence transportation and enhance safety for all road users," said Randy Iwasaki, Executive Director, CCTA. "Our partners are developing autonomous and connected vehicle technology that will help accelerate the next generation of transportation infrastructure and make the future of driving safer around the world."
Honda Advanced Technology and Safety Leadership
In pursuit of a collision-free society, Honda is broadly deploying advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), which represent a technological bridge to automated driving technology, across the Honda and Acura line-ups. The majority of Honda core models available today, including some of the industry's most popular models such as the Civic, CR-V, Accord and Pilot, can be equipped with Honda Sensing™. Every Acura model is available with the AcuraWatch™ suite of safety and driver-assistive technologies.
The automaker's second-generation automated development vehicle was also featured at the GoMentum Station – a modified version of the Acura RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD™ luxury performance sedan that has been fitted with a new suite of radar, Lidar, camera and GPS sensors, complemented by higher performance CPUs and GPUs, and improved cabling, heat management and circuitry.
Honda intends to put automated driving technologies into practical use on highways around 2020, supported by inter-connected research efforts in Japan, Europe and the U.S. Honda's research at GoMentum Station is spearheaded by Honda Research Institute USA.
"Automated vehicles have the potential to significantly improve safety and expand access to mobility," said Jim Keller, senior manager and chief engineer, Honda R&D Americas. "We believe that safe and secure sites like GoMentum provide a unique opportunity to accelerate technology development and the advent of a cooperative car society."
"The City of Concord is looking forward to tracking the evolution of the new technology being developed by Honda at the GoMentum Station," stated Laura Hoffmeister, Mayor of the City of Concord. "It's exciting to be the host city for GoMentum Station, and to know that our roads will be safer in the future thanks to the work being done there."
Saving the Spectrum for Auto Safety
The demonstration of connected and autonomous vehicles at GoMentum highlights the need for federal action to preserve the 5.9 GHz radio spectrum for the use of Dedicated Short-Range Communications (DSRC), a wireless technology optimized for vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) safety applications. The use of DSRC can help address up to 80% of non-alcohol-related vehicle collisions according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
"DSRC-enabled vehicles can make the nation's roads safer for all users, including pedestrians," said Edward Cohen, vice president, Government and Industry Affairs, Honda North America. "To accomplish the goal of enhancing road user safety, we need the support of policymakers to preserve 5.9 GHz radio spectrum."
"Spectrum is a prized resource - and there is no better use of the portion dedicated to Intelligent Transportation Systems than to save lives on our nation's highways," said John Bozzella, president and CEO of the Association of Global Automakers. "We need to ensure that public policy encourages the significant societal benefits that come with connected and automated vehicle technologies."
About GoMentum Station
GoMentum Station in Concord, California is where the Contra Costa Transportation Authority leads and facilitates a collaborative partnership among multiple automobile manufacturers; original equipment manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers; communications suppliers; technology companies; researchers and academia; public agencies and other partners. At GoMentum Station, technology, innovation and commercialization will converge to define the next generation of transportation network infrastructure. More information about GoMentum Station is available at gomentumstation.net.
About Honda Research Institute USA
Honda Research Institute USA (HRI-US) conducts research in the areas of computer and materials science, and develops strategic partnerships with public and private institutions to foster innovation. HRI-US was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Silicon Valley. Learn more at honda-ri.com/HRI_Us/.
About City of Concord
Concord, California is located 29 miles east of San Francisco, adjacent to beautiful Mt. Diablo. The city covers 31.13 square miles. With a 2010 census count of 122,067 residents, it is the largest city in Contra Costa County. For more information about the City of Concord, or the redevelopment of the Concord Naval Weapons Station, please contact Leslye Asera at 925.671.3272 or Leslye.Asera@cityofconcord.org.
About The Contra Costa Transportation Authority
The Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) is a public agency formed by Contra Costa voters in 1988 to manage the county's transportation sales tax program and oversee countywide transportation planning efforts. CCTA is responsible for planning, funding and delivering critical transportation infrastructure projects and programs that connect our communities, foster a strong economy, increase sustainability, and safely and efficiently get people where they need to go. CCTA also serves as the county's designated Congestion Management Agency, responsible for putting programs in place to keep traffic levels manageable. More information about CCTA is available at ccta.net.
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