Behind the Wheel and Around Town: Research Advances Understanding of Connected and Autonomous Transportation Systems

By Jason Gigax December 5, 2025

As autonomous vehicles, ride sharing, and new mobility technologies emerge across U.S. cities, researchers are working to understand how these changes will affect safety, infrastructure, and community mobility. At Georgia Tech, civil engineer Srinivas Peeta leads research that examines human vehicle interactions, infrastructure design, and system level integration to prepare for a more connected transportation future.

Peeta’s team studies real world and simulated scenarios to understand how autonomous vehicles interact with human drivers and how these interactions influence roadway safety. Early findings highlight several challenges, including lane change conflicts, merging difficulties, and safety risks when partially autonomous vehicles require a sudden handoff to a distracted human driver. The team is also exploring cases in which automated vehicles may prevent a dangerous maneuver by blocking unsafe lane changes.

Security is an additional concern. Researchers are evaluating how drivers detect compromised autonomous vehicles, how they react, and what behaviors could signal potential threats. These studies use a full scale driving simulator, analytical modeling, and data from real world partners such as the City of Peachtree Corners.

To support planning efforts, the team created a digital twin of Peachtree Corners to test roadway designs that may better support mixed traffic scenarios. Early results show that some road layouts improve driver understanding of autonomous vehicle intent, reducing confusion and supporting safer interactions.

The work extends beyond personal vehicles. Supported by the National Science Foundation, Peeta’s research group is examining how autonomous shuttles, micro-mobility options, traditional transit, and personal vehicles can be integrated to support community mobility goals. The project studies how information shapes traveler behavior and how cities can deliver targeted, timely guidance to improve safety and reduce congestion.

The outcome will be a decision support tool that integrates multimodal transportation data and allows communities to evaluate mobility strategies based on local needs, resources, and priorities. The framework aims to help planners design transportation networks that improve access, support sustainability, and enhance public safety.

Peeta notes that each community will require a tailored strategy. The goal is to support cities as they evaluate how connected and autonomous technologies can complement existing systems and advance long term mobility, environmental, and public health objectives.