WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Transportation wants to pave the way for the next generation of American logistics.
In a Request for Information (RFI) posted on Tuesday, DOT’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology is seeking public input to help define a National Strategy for Transportation Digital Infrastructure (TDI).
“This strategy will serve as the framework for the next generation of the transportation system across all modes (highway, rail, air, maritime, transit, pipeline) supporting multimodal operations, safety, asset management, and the accelerated deployment of new and emerging technologies,” according to DOT.
By explicitly including rail, maritime, and pipelines alongside traditional highway modes, DOT is signaling a move toward multimodal synchronization. The goal is to create a framework that supports everything from “Vehicle-to-Everything” communications to the accelerated deployment of autonomous driving systems.
For trucking, this means the future of “smart” freight infrastructure goes beyond smoother, less congested roads towards a seamless flow of data that identifies bottlenecks before they happen.
A major hurdle addressed in the notice is the siloed nature of logistics data. DOT is seeking input on how to “federate” data sharing across state lines and regions, potentially incorporating legacy and proprietary data into a unified national environment. This would allow for improved tracking and asset management that is interoperable even as shipments move between rural jurisdictions to a major port area.
To address risks associated with increased goods-movement connectivity, the RFI emphasizes the need for strong cybersecurity measures. DOT is looking specifically for input on how it should apply the National Institute of Standards and Technology Cybersecurity Framework to TDI development and deployment.
The use of artificial intelligence and automation in developing the new transportation strategy is also underscored in the RFI, with DOT seeking feedback on:
- How AI applications should be leveraged to support TDI development and deployment.
- How TDI should best be used to accelerate the development and deployment of autonomous vehicles, drones and other transformative technologies.
- What are the highest-value, near-time AI and automation applications enabled by comprehensive sensing and data sharing.
- How AI applications can be safely deployed to accommodate data exchange and data use across jurisdictional boundaries.
DOT is accepting comments through March 6.
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