Florida Polytechnic University students had an exciting look at the future of transportation technology this week during a visit to SunTrax, the autonomous vehicle (AV) testing and development facility in Auburndale, Florida.
As they toured the cutting-edge facility, the first of its kind in the country, students experienced firsthand how this rapidly evolving technology is rigorously tested and refined in real-world scenarios.
The visit, organized by Dr. Rawa Adla, assistant professor of computer engineering at Florida Poly, provided about 30 autonomous vehicle students with the opportunity to deepen their understanding of this growing field.
“Florida Poly is one of the first schools to introduce this subject matter to undergraduate students,” Adla said. “When they see this testing facility, they can really picture what the future is going to be based on what they’re learning in class.”
SunTrax, developed by Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise under the Florida Department of Transportation, is dedicated to advancing the research, development and testing of emerging transportation technologies in safe and controlled environments. It is the first facility in the United States designed for both connected and autonomous vehicle testing, as well as standard automotive assessments. The facility is also one of only a few highway-speed tracks globally offering tolling simulation.
Students toured the facility’s diverse range of road types, created to replicate nearly every surface and condition that new transportation technologies might encounter – from bumpy cobblestone roads to high-speed highways and slick ceramic tiles. They also ascended a tall observation tower for a bird’s-eye view of the testing environments.
“Being able to go inside the tower and see how massive this place is and learn about the different things you can do on the track and the different scenarios you can test is really cool,” said Elizabeth Spurlock, a senior majoring in computer engineering
Dave Weiner, technical services manager at SunTrax, led the tour, expressing his hope that the experience would spark students’ interest in exploring their own transportation-related innovations and opportunities.
“It should build some excitement and maybe get them to think, ‘Let me figure out what I can do so I can get out there,’” Weiner said.
Adla recognized the importance of providing relevant, real-world exposure to industry, and stressed the need for more skilled professionals in the critical sector of AV technology.
“We need to increase the number of autonomous vehicle engineers and the workforce in the field,” Adla said. “I like my students to have these experiences and see these technologies being used in real life.”
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Lydia Guzmán
Director of Communications
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