Innovation
In recent years we have witnessed ongoing advancements in fields such as battery technology, flying vehicles, autonomous driving and unmanned aircraft systems – developments like these are driving the electric mobility industry. The goal of EMIA is to support Georgia in strengthening its position as a leading state for innovation. The alliance will identify ongoing research and development activities in the state of Georgia and work with all relevant stakeholders to determine potential needs. This way, Georgia can ensure to be on the forefront of the development of cutting-edge technologies and provide companies and researchers an ecosystem that fosters innovation.
Research and development, a key factor in the emerging electric mobility industry, has strong roots established in Georgia. In addition to the insights and opportunities created by GDEcD’s Center of Innovation, which serves the entire state, companies and universities in Georgia’s ecosystem are utilizing their own innovation centers to research a myriad of projects including: improving driving range, increasing recharging speeds, connectivity system enhancements, improving AI for better autonomous vehicles (AV), and adding nanotech materials into production, to name just a few.
The Ray Intelligent Highway
An 18-mile stretch of Interstate 85 that serves as a proving ground for emerging technologies. This corridor serves as a real world test bed for the active traffic management of interstate lanes, with a focus on freight mobility and advanced operations, such as platooning and autonomous driving. GDOT, The Ray and Kia Georgia have partnered with Panasonic to utilize connected vehicles, connected traffic signals and the connected interstate to demonstrate the value of “V2X" for safety, efficiency, and for enabling platooning. A P4 partnership between GDOT, The Ray and 3M resulted in the installation of “Connected Roads” lane striping, which is readable by AV machine vision systems and enables wayfinding.
Location: The Ray Highway
Website: theray.org
Autonomous Vehicle Routing
A 1.5 mile intelligent mobility and Smart City living laboratory. Curiosity Lab at Peachtree Corners is a publicly funded living lab designed to provide a real world test environment to advance next generation intelligent mobility and smart city technology. Assets include a 1.5 mile autonomous vehicle test track located within a commercial office park, fully operational 5G, 1G of dedicated fiber, DSRC units, video surveillance, smart poles and a 25,000 square foot technology incubator. More recently, The Curiosity Lab at Peachtree Corners has partnered with ATDC, the state’s incubator, and T-Mobile to create a business accelerator program that would create a platform to grow companies that support 5G enabled industries.
Location: The Curiosity Lab at Peachtree Corners
Website: curiositylabptc.com
Chamblee Autonomous Shuttles
Chamblee is partnering with Georgia Tech professor Dr. Ellen Dunham-Jones to conduct research on the potential impacts of autonomous vehicle technology on land uses, on attracting next generation residents and employees, on expanding access to MARTA, on prioritizing of pedestrian and bicycle mobility to maintain the human scale in City streets, and on improving public health. Dr. Dunham-Jones’ research will focus on how Chamblee can leverage SAVs and the redevelopment opportunities they may provide to achieve its broader goals of livability and sustainable urban design. For this project, Navya's U.S. manufactured electric shuttles will connect Assembly with the adjacent Doraville and Chamblee MARTA stations. Each vehicle can carry 15 people (11 seated and four standing). While there’s no human driver, there will be a human “concierge” on board at all times to answer questions and assist passengers. Location: MARTA station connections
Location: MARTA station connections
Website: smartcities.ipat.gatech.edu/city-chamblee
Gwinnett Connected Vehicles
Gwinnett County is setting the standard for the application of connected vehicle technology by using the latest technological advances in traffic management systems to improve traffic congestion and reduce crashes in the Peachtree Industrial Boulevard corridor. Our 2020 study covers 50 intersections over a 20-mile stretch of roadway through areas which experience some of the highest traffic counts in the region.
Location: Gwinnett County Roadways
Website: smartcities.ipat.gatech.edu/gwinnett-county
Smart Woodstock Master Plan
The city of Woodstock is aiming to increase efficiency with autonomous vehicle drop-off lanes, to reduce the need for parking, and managed right of way traffic controls with smart data-capturing sensors to ease traffic flow without destroying the walkability and family-oriented atmosphere of its downtown.
Location: Woodstock
Website: smartcities.ipat.gatech.edu/woodstock
Sample of Innovation Centers of Georgia
| AT&T Drive Studio | General Motors IT Innovation Center |
| Delta Airlines "The Hangar" Innovation Center | Honeywell Connected Enterprise |
| Siemens Data Analytics and Applications Center | Southern Company Energy Innovation Center |
| thyssenkrupp Elevator Americas Research Innovation Center |