The Future of V2X: GDOT to Lead National Connected Vehicle Initiative
For years, an 18-mile stretch of Interstate 85 in West Georgia has served as a proving ground for transportation innovation. Today, the advanced infrastructure projects on The Ray Highway are moving to the national stage.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has authorized the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) to lead the Vehicle to Everything (V2X) Pooled Fund Study (V2XPFS). This multi-state initiative will standardize how vehicles communicate with infrastructure, positioning Georgia as the primary architect of the nation’s connected roadway network and its policies.
From The Ray Highway to National Standard
This milestone builds upon the Public-Private-Philanthropic Partnership (P4) between GDOT, The Ray, and an expansive V2X ecosystem of technology partners and roadway users. Since 2019, this partnership has used the proving ground on The Ray Highway to demonstrate that advanced, connected infrastructure is the essential foundation for a safer, more efficient mobility system.
By deploying one of the nation’s first cloud-based platforms for managing data into information, insights, and interventions, and outfitting fleet vehicles with V2X technology, the partnership demonstrated how freight signal priority (FSP) and real-time alerts for roadway crashes, work zones, and weather hazards can provide agencies and drivers with critical foresight before a hazard is even visible.
“We founded The Ray to be a proving ground for the technologies that will transform transportation. This study is the bridge between our 18-mile lab and a smarter, national network where digital and physical infrastructure stack to support the next generation of innovation.”
Scaling a Shared Mission
As GDOT takes the helm of this national study, the lessons learned on The Ray Highway—from managing complex data streams to integrating dual-mode roadside units—will serve as the blueprint for other states. The V2X Pooled Fund Study currently includes 20 State DOTs and Transport Canada, all working toward seamless operational and safety coverage across state lines.
With GDOT leading this national effort, The Ray will continue to serve as a catalyst for research and development, testing next-generation infrastructure—reimagining how the roadway of the future can be cleaner, safer, and more productive—alongside V2X technology.
The road to the future is no longer a pilot project; it is the new national standard. Let’s drive the future.
