The University of Georgia (UGA) has launched a research center devoted to expanding access to autonomous vehicles (AVs) in rural and tribal communities.

The Tribal and Rural Autonomous Vehicles for Efficiency, Livability and Safety (TRAVELS) Center is led by the University of Wisconsin (UW)-Madison and is supported by a $15 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The project includes six collaborating institutions: Oklahoma State University, the University of Washington, Morgan State University, Northern Oklahoma College, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and UGA.

The project will provide UGA approximately $3.6 million in funding to bring the benefits of AV technology to rural Georgia, enhancing safety and efficiency.

“We are thrilled to partner with UW-Madison on this program, which will help accelerate the deployment of cutting-edge AV technologies in vast rural and tribal areas of the country,” said UGA Team Lead and College of Engineering Assistant Professor Handong Yao. “We look forward to applying our research toward innovative solutions to real-world challenges.”

The Georgia Department of Transportation reports that annual rural transit demand ranges from 0.56 million to 5.39 million trips, yet 29 counties have no transit services, and 66% of rural counties lack a regional or multi-county transit system. UGA notes that additionally, 90.4% of transit agencies lack route-mapping data, making trip planning difficult.

TRAVELS aligns with the state of Georgia's rural development strategy through four integrated services: 

• Digital infrastructure and road enhancement for connected transportation: Upgrade roads, signage and connectivity for safer travel. 

• Healthcare and on-demand rapid AVs: Provide 24/7 AV services for healthcare and emergency response. 

• Cross-jurisdiction rural economic autonomous transit: Improve regional transit connectivity across jurisdictions. 

• Tourist and event autonomous shuttles: Deploy AV shuttles and digital infrastructure for tourism and special events.

Through TRAVELS, the UGA research team will collaborate with the six partner universities, 34 state transportation agencies and five key industry partners to reduce rural roadway fatalities, increase transit mobility and integrate advanced transportation technologies to enhance overall efficiency in rural Georgia.

“The University of Georgia is honored to be a part of this national effort and help lead the charge on AV research and applications,” said UGA College of Engineering Assistant Dean for Student Success and Outreach Stephan Durham. “I’m confident this project is only the start of many other and larger projects in this growing field.”

UGA notes the project began in March 2026 and will unfold in three phases: demonstration, deployment and enhancement.