The Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) Advisory Council met at TTI’s new headquarters at The Texas A&M University System’s RELLIS Campus Sept. 4–5, following the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new facility. The meeting began with an evening reception, dinner and update from Dan Chen, vice president and general manager of the 3M Transportation Safety Division. Chen discussed perspectives on roadway safety and the impact of connected and automated vehicles.
The business meeting commenced with a welcome and introductions by David Cain, council chair. TTI Agency Director Greg Winfree provided an update on the Institute and its recent research and partnership initiatives.
The council then toured the Driving Simulator and Visibility Research Laboratories in the Headquarters building and took a ride on an autonomous shuttle, which is being demonstrated on the Texas A&M University campus this fall by TTI and Texas A&M Transportation Services. Afterward, the group boarded a bus for a tour of the RELLIS Campus and viewed a roadside safety crash test of a pickup truck running into a guardrail transition at 62 mph.
Following the TTI tours and crash test, TTI Deputy Director Bill Stockton led a lunch discussion held at the A&M System’s Center for Infrastructure Renewal (CIR) about potential research opportunities and transportation issues facing the state. Before adjourning, the council toured the CIR laboratories where TTI’s pavements, materials and structures research is conducted.
