The 
week of May 3, 2021, the first cohort of students attended the Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy’s new executive education program focusing on the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the transportation industry. The inaugural cohort included representatives of government, non-profit, industry and association leaders.
The new program, “Managing AI in Transportation,” was developed by the experts at Heinz College’s Traffic21 Institute to explore critical areas that are required for breaking down public and private organizational barriers and understanding how managing AI can benefit key stakeholders throughout the transportation industry.
“We were excited to offer this new program to our already strong roster of executive education,” said David Ulicne, Senior Director of Heinz College Executive Education. “As the transportation industry continues to rapidly evolve, and the influence of AI in the field continues to grow, this new program will provide managers the opportunity to expand their knowledge and keep pace with the latest technological advancements.”
Participants explored the impact of disruptive technology on transportation; AI in traffic control devices; AI in connected and autonomous vehicles; the role of AI in predictive analytics; AI in
transportation asset management; the equitable application of AI for safe and efficient transportation; and how to develop and implement an enterprise AI strategy.
One participant reflected, “As a company, we’re always looking for ways to use new technologies to make our business better. Better understanding what AI can and can’t do, what it needs to succeed, and ways of thinking about problems using an AI “lens” will all be long term beneficial.”
“Since Traffic21’s founding more than 10 years ago, we have seen firsthand the various ways AI is impacting and improving transportation,” said Stan Caldwell, Executive Director of Traffic21. “From asset management to automated vehicles, the use of AI is transforming transportation sector, and we are pleased to have the opportunity to share what we have learned with both public and private sector managers to leverage the power of this technology and mitigate its risk.”
Plans are already underway for the 2022 class. Conta
ct Mobility21 UTC Program Manager, Lisa Kay Schweyer to learn more.
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The bootcamp’s detailed agenda included:
Session 1: Overview of Technology and AI Impacts in Transportation Today
- Application examples
- Risks and benefits
- Policy implications
Session 2: AI in Traffic Control Devices
History, current status, future trends in devices- The role of AI in improving traffic control devices
- Traffic control device optimization with increased IOT connections
Session 3: AI in Connected/Autonomous Vehicles
- History, current status, future trends of AV
- Societal impact of AV (safety, environment)
- Technology/policy risks of CAVs
Session 4: AI and Predictive Analytics: How to Make Better Decisions with Transportation Data
- AI enablement for improved decisions
- Analytics use cases
- Data sharing to modify behavior patterns
Session 5: AI in Transportation Asset Management
- Use cases for AI in asset management
- Optimization best practices
- How to achieve desired cost efficiencies
Session 6: Equitably Applying AI for Safe and Efficient Transportation
- AI approaches to improve mobility and access
- Misuse and/or negative impact of AI to mobility
- Ethical issues of AI
Session 7: Developing and Implementing an Enterprise AI Strategy
- Enterprise AI strategy components
- Key stakeholders needed
- How to build AI capability and find talent
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ABOUT CMU HEINZ COLLEGE
The Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy is home to two internationally recognized graduate-level institutions at CMU: The School of Information Systems and Management and the School of Public Policy and Management. This unique colocation combined with its expertise in analytics set Heinz College apart in the areas of cybersecurity, healthcare, the future of work, smart cities, and arts & entertainment.
ABOUT TRAFFIC21
Traffic21 is a multi-disciplinary research institute of Carnegie Mellon University. Its goal is to design, test, deploy, and evaluate information and communications technology-based solutions to address the problems facing the transportation system of the Pittsburgh region and the nation. Housed within the institute is the US DOT funded, Mobility21 National University Transportation Center.
The Pittsburgh region serves as a “learning lab,” deploying solutions that can be applied around the nation and the globe. Traffic21 leverages Carnegie Mellon’s leadership in relevant areas such as intelligent transportation systems, smart infrastructure, cyber security, human factors, artificial intelligence, data analytics, and connected and automated vehicles.