Crimson Ride E1718316980203 — A Crimson Ride bus on the campus of the University of Alabama. (Jacob Blankenship / The Bama Buzz)

A grant from the Federal Transit Administration and the United States Department of Transportation will help the University of Alabama develop automated driver assistance program.

The university is undertaking a $3 million project to develop the system for large transit buses, including the Crimson Ride bus.

Keep reading to learn more about the project + find out when the system could be used on campus.

Testing the automated system

A Traffic Light Connected To Wires And Machinery That Will Be Part Of The Advanced Driving Assistance System For Crimson Ride Buses. — Advanced driver assistance systems technology in the lab, ready for simulations. (University of Alabama)

The project is expected to bring automated safety features, currently in personal vehicles, to mass transit. It is being led by Dr. Bharat Balasubramanian, executive director for the Center for Advanced Vehicle Technologies and chief mobility research and development officer for the Alabama Transportation Institute.

Virtual simulations with an interface to Perrone Robotics’ MAX software platform will be used then tested in the lab and then fitted into a Crimson Ride bus.

“We are thrilled to bring our TONY Kit to this groundbreaking project. This collaboration with the University of Alabama allows us to push the boundaries of what automated systems can achieve in next generation transit applications, ensuring safer and more reliable transportation for all.”
~ Paul Perrone, founder and CEO of Perrone Robotics

This project will develop and test four key functions in Crimson Ride buses:

Smooth acceleration and deceleration for fuel economy
Pedestrian detection and emergency braking to avoid collisions
Precision docking
Assisted driving in narrow roads

“If you’re talking about accident-free driving, you’re talking about fully automated driving.”
~ Dr. Bharat Balasubramanian

When will this system be active in mass transit?

Faculty And Staff Members Who Will Be Working On The Advanced Driving Assistance System For Crimson Ride Buses. — The researchers involved with the ADAS bus project span multiple University of Alabama departments. (University of Alabama)

It may take some time before the automated systems are used on buses for students. The project has to develop, validate and then test driver assistance technologies for a pedestrian-heavy environment.

Once the system performs well in the lab, the team will test the buses in controlled conditions on a road with mock pedestrians before adding them to campus routes.

The university did not say exactly when they expect to add the system to the Crimson Ride buses.

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