U.S. DOT Center for Connected and Automated Transportation (CCAT), Purdue University
CCAT Overview
The U.S. DOT Center for Connected and Automated Transportation (CCAT) covers the states of Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, and Minnesota. The Center was established in 2016 based on an award from USDOT’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) to conduct a multidisciplinary program of transportation research, education, and technology transfer. The period of performance is November 30, 2016 to September 30, 2022, and the annual funding is $2.6M.
The CCAT consortium consists of the University of Michigan (lead), Purdue University, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, University of Akron, Central State University, and Washtenaw College.
Non-university partners of the Center include transportation agencies, regional planning boards, and private sector partners. These partners, along with other academic institutions, professional societies, professional associations and laboratories, provide a combination of financial, technical, logistical, and strategic collaborations for the Center’s research, education, outreach, and technology transfer programs and activities.
Purdue’s CCAT Center is administered by Purdue University’s Discovery Park. The Center is located off-campus within the Purdue Research Park.
Dr. Samuel Labi, professor of civil engineering at Purdue University, is the current director of Purdue CCAT. The founding director was Dr. Srinivas Peeta, currently at Georgia Tech.
Purdue CCAT Vision and Mission
The Center’s mission is to provide research information that will significantly guide the evolution of CAVs in terms of their impact on safety, mobility, and sustainable development. The Center helps advance national and regional leadership, education and training, research and technology transfer, and outreach and deployment, with regard to connected and automated transportation.
​
In addressing its mission, the Center uses a variety of multi-disciplinary tools from areas including operations research, mathematics, physics, economics, finance, law, political science, psychology, ergonomics, statistics, and computer science.
Purdue CCAT - Administrative Structure
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee is responsible for setting strategy, approving administrative budgets. It is chaired by the Purdue CCAT Center Director. It meets several times a year as required by the Center’s programs and activities.
Advisory Council
The Advisory Council provides strategic and programmatic guidance for the Center. It promotes vital relationships between the Center and the transportation stakeholders (public transportation agencies, vehicle manufacturers, commercial transport companies, and other road users). The Council ensures that the Center’s objectives and activities are synergistic with national, regional, and local needs.
Center Staff
The Center’s staff consists of the Purdue CCAT director, managing director and research associates, communications specialist and secretary.
The director is responsible for overall Center operations, in collaboration with the Center’s Executive Committee and Advisory Council. His duties include multiparty coordination, council/committee meeting administration, external representation, fund management, and program administration.
The managing director provides day-to-day supervision of the Center staff and operation, oversees the delivery of the Center’s research and education programs and outreach activities, and facilitates coordination between various internal and external organizational partners and entities.
The Center’s research associates complement a large number of the Center faculty and students by identifying and coordinating research and outreach opportunities consistent with the Center vision/theme and working with faculty members to develop proposals for soliciting external funds.
The communications specialist writes and designs all newsletters, annual reports, and promotional materials; maintains and updates the Center website; and coordinates outreach and educational programs.
The secretary supports administrative, programmatic, and reception duties; assists in planning meetings and events; and interfaces with the Discovery Park Business Office.
Purdue University Discovery Park
The Center director reports to the executive director of Purdue’s Discovery Park, which provides administrative and fiduciary oversight on behalf of Purdue University.