Heavy Duty Trucking Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

DOT Doles Out $13 Million To Test Truck Safety Systems

The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded $12.7 million in grants to help fund operational testing of high-tech truck safety systems

by Staff
November 8, 1999
2 min to read


The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded $12.7 million in grants to help fund operational testing of high-tech truck safety systems.

The four Intelligent Vehicle Initiative grants will be combined with $7.7 million from partners to pay for testing of advanced safety systems addressing large truck rollover, rear-end collisions, roadway departure collisions, advanced braking and hazard warning.
Freightliner Corp. will lead a partnership to test a "Rollover Stability Advisor" to address large truck rollovers. The tests will be conducted in the Midwest and also include Praxair, a hazardous materials fleet and trailer manufacturer; Roaduser International; and the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute.
Volvo Trucks North America will lead a partnership to test trucks equipped with a collision warning system and an advanced braking system. The tests will be conducted throughout the U.S. and also include truckload fleet U.S. Xpress and North Carolina A&T University.
Mack Trucks will test an infrastructure-assisted hazard warning system for commercial vehicles. The tests will be conducted in the southeastern United States and also include McKenzie Tank Lines and the Virginia Department of Transportation.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation will lead a partnership to test a fleet of snowplows equipped with collision warning and lateral guidance. Others in this partnership include Altra Technology, Navistar International, the University of Minnesota and 3M.
The Intelligent Vehicle Initiative is part of the DOT's Intelligent Transportation Systems program, authorized in the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21).

More Safety & Compliance

Illustration of NYC skyline with speed limit sign and the major's order in the foreground
Safety & Complianceby News/Media ReleaseSeptember 4, 2026

NYC Expands Speed, Pedestrian Safety Tech Across Fleet

New York City is expanding intelligent speed assistance and pedestrian-alert systems across its municipal fleet, moving the technologies from pilot programs into vehicle procurement and retrofit requirements.

Read More →
Two men in jackets with Homeland Security indicated on the back, standing in a parking lot looking toward a building with trucks in front of it
Driversby Deborah LockridgeSeptember 1, 2026

FMCSA Removes 110 Truck Driver Training Schools from Certified ELDT List

Federal regulators also are targeting more than 160 additional training providers and launching a nationwide audit of third-party CDL skills testers as part of a broader crackdown on trucking fraud.

Read More →
Digital cover feature illustration showing truck inspector looking at trailer in background with the words "Compliance doesn't equal safety"
Safety & Complianceby Deborah LockridgeSeptember 1, 2026

Beyond DOT Compliance: What Makes a Trucking Fleet Truly Safe?

A trucking fleet can follow every rule and still make unsafe decisions. The real test comes when safety conflicts with freight, productivity, or cost.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Illustration of tired truck driver, electronic logging device, and traffic congestion

Hours of Service Pilot Programs: FMCSA Readies for 2027 Rollout

Two pilot programs could eventually reshape hours-of-service rules, giving truck drivers options to pause their 14-hour clock or use longer split sleeper rest periods.

Read More →
Dog in a special pet restraint in the passenger seat of a truck cab, with a photo of pet guide superimposed

New Guide Offers Pet Safety Tips for Truck Drivers

Hundreds of thousands of pets travel in truck cabs. A new safety guide from Volvo Trucks and the Center for Pet Safety offers practical advice for truck drivers who bring dogs and cats along for the ride.

Read More →
Illustration with safety cones in background, Roadcheck logo, cargo tiedowns, and officer checking driver logs
Safety & Complianceby Deborah LockridgeAugust 26, 2026

Medical Cards, English Proficiency Reshape Roadcheck Violations

Medical-card violations jumped to the top of the driver out-of-service list during CVSA’s 2026 International Roadcheck, while English-language proficiency violations appeared among the leading violations for the first time.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Lance Evans in suit jacket superimposed on background showing a blue K&B tractor-trailer, plus the HDT Truck Fleet Innovators 2026 logo
Safety & Complianceby Deborah LockridgeAugust 20, 2026

How Lance Evans Turns Enforcement Experience Into Better Fleet Safety

HDT Truck Fleet Innovator Lance Evans brings lessons from law enforcement to K&B Transportation’s approach to safety technology, data, driver coaching, and compliance.

Read More →
Graphic with DOT seal in background and photo of Steve Downling
Safety & Complianceby StaffAugust 18, 2026

New FMCSA Chief Safety Officer Has Trucking Industry and Law Enforcement Experience

Steve Dowling joins FMCSA after serving as senior director of safety at Covenant Logistics and in leadership roles in commercial motor vehicle industry organizations.

Read More →
Illustration of data privacy, big brother concept, and truck driver behind the wheel
Safety & Complianceby Deborah LockridgeAugust 17, 2026

Driver Trust Can Make or Break the Success of Fleet Safety Technology

New Teletrac Navman research suggests that onboarding, transparency about driver data, and positive feedback can play a significant role in how commercial drivers respond to safety and coaching technology.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Safety & Complianceby StaffAugust 14, 2026

FMCSA: Stop Using These 15 Electronic Logging Devices

Fleets and drivers must replace the revoked ELDs with ones on the FMCSA's registered device list of electronic logging devices.

Read More →