The IVHS architecture program: a systematic approach to progress

Public Roads, Summer, 1994

For IVHS, a consensus-building effort is essential. IVHS has many stakeholders with differing--often competing--interests. Since critical policy issues will be addressed by architecture alternatives, the consensus-building process will allow (and ensure) that stakeholders are aware of these policy issues and are able to provide meaningful feedback and input as it relates to these issues. The process is intended to help shape the resulting IVHS architecture to meet the needs of the stakeholders in a balanced fashion. Working with many other organizations, DOT and IVHS AMERICA will jointly manage the consensus-building process. Consensus-building activities will focus around the interim and final program reviews. These review "cycles" are scheduled for April-May 1994, October-December 1994, June-August 1995, and April-June 1996. At these points, the latest information on the developing alternatives, along with mechanisms to provide feedback, will be made available to the stakeholders through forums including:

* IVHS Architecture Consensus Task Force.

* Regional Architecture Forums.

* IVHS AMERICA. The technical committees and regional affiliates of IVHS AMERICA will be provided with information and will generate feedback on the architecture alternatives.

* Focus Groups. As appropriate, focus groups will be conducted to provide a better understanding of key issues and the views of key stakeholders.

Feedback from these forums will be used to refine the architecture alternatives. Feedback provided in the first two review cycles will also be factored into the process of selecting which teams continue on into Phase II. Feedback provided in the last two review cycles will help determine which of the remaining alternatives will be chosen as the national IVHS architecture. The consensus-building process will not seek to obtain total agreement by all stakeholders on all facets of the selected architecture. Rather, the aim is to develop general support within the broad stakeholder community behind the ultimate national architecture.

Where Are the Architecture Development Contractor Teams in the Development of Their Approaches?

Each of the four contractor teams are, as of this writing, about halfway through the phase I effort to define an IVHS architecture. Their approaches are quite different in their visions of deployed systems and in the socio-economic implications of their architectures on the various stakeholders. The architecture teams are currently preparing to embark on the firstround of consensus-building architecture forums. By the time this article is published, results from the first round of consensus building will have taken place. For the latest results on the architecture consensus efforts, contact IVHS AMERICA at (202) 484-4847 or FHWA at (202) 366-2196.

6.6 Million and Counting

The Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Associate Administrator for Motor Carriers George L. Reagle tests his knowledge at a display featuring several sample questions that a truck or bus driver must answer correctly to obtain a commercial driver's license.