Evaluate Potential Impacts, Benefits, Impediments, and Solutions of Automated Trucks and Truck Platooning on Texas Highway Infrastructure: Technical Report

This report presents a study that conducted an assessment of the potential impacts, benefits, and impediments of the introduction of automated trucks and truck platooning on Texas highway infrastructure. The assessment included, but was not limited to, identification or review of the following: (a) any needed infrastructure hardening decisions and potential changes in road and bridge design specifications; (b) impacts on the Texas Freight Mobility Plan and the wider designated Texas Highway Freight Network; (c) impacts on statewide planning/Texas Transportation Plan and on metropolitan planning organization and other local/regional plans; (d) overall impacts on the Texas Department of Transportation planning process; (e) national/state/local-level planning/policy impediments and obstacles; (f) potential need for separate/specialized freight transportation facilities; (g) wider impacts of these new technologies on Texas highway infrastructure via a vulnerability analysis at the asset and network levels; and (h) overall infrastructure costs and benefits associated with the introduction of automated and platoon truck technologies on Texas highway infrastructure.