NSF POSE: Phase II: DriveX: An Open-Source Ecosystem for Automated Driving and Intelligent Transportation Research

This project is funded by the Pathways to Enable Open-Source Ecosystems (POSE) Program which seeks to harness the power of open-source development for the creation of new technology solutions to problems of national and societal importance. The project aims to create a vibrant open-source ecosystem known as DriveX to advance automated driving and intelligent transportation research. This open-source ecosystem addresses a critical societal need: the safe and efficient integration of automated vehicles (AVs) into real-world transportation systems. DriveX will facilitate the design, development, and evaluation of mobility technologies for an increasingly automated future. By bridging gaps between various stakeholders, including industry, startups, academic researchers, and government agencies, the project seeks to overcome the current fragmentation in the field, unify collective efforts, and increase resource efficiency. This ecosystem not only promotes collaboration but also ensures the advancements in AV technology benefit a broader society with improved traffic flows, driving safety, and sustainability in mobility. DriveX is built upon existing open-source research and simulation platforms OpenCDA and MetaDrive, with significant enhancements and developments to create an ecosystem and tools to meet diverse stakeholders’ needs. The project will identify these needs through extensive engagement with communities in cyber-physical systems, transportation, and artificial intelligence, as well as partnerships with the AV and smart mobility industry. Planned activities include defining the ecosystem's organization and governance, executing a strategic roadmap for sustainable development, and deploying DriveX in operational settings. The project will foster a new community-driven platform, featuring an interconnected toolchain of simulators, data management systems, benchmarks, and a model zoo that evolve as the needs of the user community evolve. By implementing strategies for ecosystem discovery, community building, and sustainability, DriveX aims to facilitate a productive exchange of efforts and ideas across research communities, accelerating the pace of innovation and development in automated driving and intelligent transportation. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.