Support Us Button Widget

UTC unveils its first autonomous vehicle for data-collecting

You may see this autonomous vehicle roaming downtown collecting data for UTC to make Chattanooga’s streets and public spaces safer and more efficient.

NOOGAtoday | UTC autonomous vehicle

The vehicle is a research + development autonomous vehicle platform that was designed and manufactured by Hexagon | AutonomouStuff.

Photo provided by Coeo Media

Keep your eyes out for a new vehicle traveling through downtown Chattanooga, folks. UTC’s Center for Urban Informatics and Progress (CUIP) recently purchased its first autonomous vehicle to serve as a new data-gathering tool.

CUIP will deploy the vehicle along the MLK Smart Corridor + throughout downtown to gather real-time data on “interactions between other cars, cyclists, pedestrians, and other travelers.”

Note: A human driver will remain in the vehicle at all times.

The data collected will be used in efforts to address public safety and efficiency. Think: Smoother traffic flows, increased pedestrian safety, and monitored air quality and noise levels.

“This technology unlocks new understanding about how our city works and moves,” said Mina Sartipi, executive director of the UTC Research Institute and CUIP’s founding director. “Urban mobility is changing in a lot of ways and cities like Chattanooga owe it to ourselves to prepare for this future today.”

Curious about CUIP? Read more about its urban mobility research.

More from NOOGAtoday
Bookmark this guide for a curated list of events taking place each month that we’re most looking forward to.
We’ve got the key info you need for the Mocs’, Vols’, and Titans’ first home games.
Whether you’re just dreaming or actually house hunting, here’s a peek inside the most expensive listings currently for sale in the Scenic City.
No cash? No problem. Whether you are spending a day or a lifetime in Chattanooga, these are some of the best offerings that won’t break the bank.
No boat? No problem. Rent one Airbnb-style and start enjoying the waterways.
Historic flooding on Tuesday, Aug. 12, left many Chattanoogans in crisis. Here’s how you can support them.
The IBMA World of Bluegrass® will be held in Chattanooga from Tuesday, Sept. 16, through Saturday, Sept. 20.
The concept is taking over South Korea’s capital city. We’re thinking about where we’d copy it in the Scenic City.
Reach your local community with our help.
The annual fair returns to Lebanon’s James E. Ward Agricultural Center Thursday, Aug. 14-Saturday, Aug. 23.