Measurements are at the core of our nation’s performance and safety evaluations for airborne and land-bound vehicles. The tried-and-true modes of transportation that have flourished during the past century – airplanes and automobiles – are now further evolving, with app-based ride hailing technologies and autonomous functionalities on the rise. Now more than ever, the role of measurement is critical for the future of our citizens’ movements from one place to the next.

What is NIST's role?

NIST provides the technical expertise, measurements, data and standards proficiency to ensure the transportation industry is well equipped to create functional, safe, and fuel-efficient automobiles and airplanes for today and tomorrow.

For example:

• Before self-driving cars can become commonplace on the roads, we need a way to measure their performance and ensure their safe use. NIST is conducting research into three areas for autonomous vehicles: sensing and perception, artificial intelligence, and communications.
• Due to modern amenities, vehicles have become heavier and less fuel-efficient. At theNIST Center for Automotive Lightweighting, researchers are studying the materials that could lighten the load while maintaining the same safety quality for collision incidents.
• The measurements from airspeed sensors are critical for ensuring that airplanes can fly and land in a controlled way. NIST researchers calibrate these devices.
• Themillion pounds-force deadweight machine housed at NIST (producing 4.45 meganewtons, or 1 million pounds of force) is used to calibrate the specialty scales used to accurately measure the thrust of rockets and jet engines.
• NIST assists the “transportation for hire” industry, working toward equality of standards between traditional taximeters and new, app-based ride hailing technology.
• Electric vehicles (EV) are quickly becoming commonplace on the road, and NIST is positioned to support the U.S. state weights and measures authorities responsible for testing and official inspections of EV charging infrastructure.
• TheNIST Center for Neutron Research is optimized for in-operando studies of automotive hydrogen fuel cells due to a collaborative effort between NIST and General Motors in the early 2000s.

NIST’s role in transportation crosses into the infrastructure space. Our research into concrete for construction, as well as our studies into how communities build resilience to withstand and recover from disasters, can affect the development of roads, bridges and other transportation network components.