DataCity Smart Mobility Testing Ground (SMTG)

The DataCity Smart Mobility Testing Ground is a living laboratory in downtown New Brunswick, NJ, for collecting multi-modal smart-mobility data that will help the region improve safety, congestion, and equity in its transportation systems, while also establishing NJ as a hub for R&D in the growing autonomous vehicle industry.

In partnership with Middlesex County, The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), The City of New Brunswick, and additional private companies, the DataCity Smart Mobility Testing Ground (SMTG) is an investment in innovative Connected and Automated Vehicle (CAV) technology and a source of high-resolution transportation data designed to attract leading public and private sector companies interested in testing advanced driving system applications in real-world conditions.

The SMTG is a critical step forward for the implementation of innovative CAV technology and research in New Jersey that will help to shape the future of transportation in the region and nationally. A 2.4-mile multi-modal corridor between Route 27 to Route 18 in downtown New Brunswick, NJ, the SMTG is equipped with Self-Driving-Grade, high-resolution roadside sensors and computing devices to enable smart mobility services to all travelers on the corridor without the need for expensive on-board units or high-end vehicles.

This provides researchers at the Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) and partners with a living laboratory environment home to data computing, modeling, data sharing interfaces, and application testing interfaces that will provide operational data for NJDOT and local agencies as well as high-resolution datasets for private sector R&D.

Aligning with NJ Governor Phil Murphy’s vision toward building a New Brunswick Innovation Hub that promotes an innovative economy, the SMTG opens the door for transportation agencies and CAV companies to collaborate through data sharing, application development, testing, and evaluation of autonomous vehicle technologies in a real-world environment. Overall, bringing an innovative solution to issues of congestion, safety, and environmental and community equity, while accelerating economic development in the region. 

“New Brunswick is the ideal location for this initiative and addressing the goals of the state. The city is located in the middle of a high-density multi-modal transportation system, while also being home to world-class healthcare institutions and universities such as Rutgers. This diverse environment allows us to collect valuable mobility data that will help implement innovative solutions and transition to the future of connected and automated transportation systems.”

— CAIT Director Dr. Ali Maher

And, we want to work with you. Learn more about the SMTG program and our ongoing research here, and contact us below to get involved.