COLUMBUS— Today, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed an executive order re-authorizing DriveOhio as the statewide center for the advancement of smart mobility solutions. DriveOhio is organized under the following five pillars: Safety, Mobility, Access, Reliability, and Talent. These SMART pillars guide DriveOhio as it works to maintain its role as a national leader in the testing and deployment of automated and connected vehicle technology. Working with industry, academic, and local government partners, DriveOhio tests and deploys technology-based transportation solutions to solve real-world problems with a focus on safety.
“Reauthorizing DriveOhio is another step for Ohio to continue to be a leader for implementing transportation technology,” said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. “We are excited to see DriveOhio work with various community partners to begin implementing new technologies that will benefit all Ohioans.”
“Thanks to the leadership of Governor Mike DeWine, the state of Ohio is perfectly positioned to develop and deploy a transportation system that is safer, smarter and more accessible for all Ohioans,” said Jack Marchbanks, director of the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT). “The Ohio Department of Transportation is fully committed to this initiative. The smart mobility solutions that DriveOhio are developing and deploying will make Ohio’s roadways safer.”
The executive order outlines an advisory board and working groups comprised of industry, regulatory and research organizations that will provide information, recommendations and best practices to DriveOhio. Also, the executive order highlights the work that the Unmanned Aerial Systems Center (UAS Center) has done with the Air Force Research Laboratories (AFRL) to deploy SkyVision, a radar system that allows drones to fly beyond visual line of sight.
With partners like the Transportation Research Center (TRC), JobsOhio, AFRL, Smart Columbus, local governments and academic institutions, the ecosystem of innovation that Ohio has established is second to none in the United States. With the recent US Department of Transportation (USDOT) Automated Driving Systems grant award, Ohio has cemented its presence as a national leader in the development of automated and connected vehicle technology. As projects like the 670 Smart Lane, the 33 Smart Mobility Corridor, the I-90 Lake Effect Corridor, SkyVision and the TRC SmartCenter continue to develop and mature, the future is very bright for Ohio to leverage these assets to build the companies of tomorrow and make Ohio’s roads safer for everyone. This executive order is an aggressive statement by the DeWine-Husted administration that Ohio will lead in the automated and connected vehicle technology sector as the mobility/transportation industry continues to evolve.
Click here to read the full executive order.