U.S. DOT FY 2026 Phase I Pre-Solicitation Q&A
- To create a new account or to sign in with an existing account please click on “sign in” located at the top right of the page
- A new pop-up window will open to make a selection, you can use an existing Google or Facebook account to access the site or you might select to create a new account.
- If you choose to access UserVoice with an existing Google or Microsoft account, you will be required to enter your login credentials for Google or Microsoft and agree to terms of service
- If you need to create a new account, click "Create an Account" underneath the password box
- In the next screen, type in the e-mail and click "Verify E-mail".
- Navigate to your inbox and click the link within the e-mail to verify. The link will be generated by noreply@trymagic.com
- That link will be live for 20 minutes. Once that time elapses, you will have to request another one
- Navigate back to UserVoice, and you will need to provide your name, a password, and agree to terms of service and storage permissions. Click "Create Account".
- Select the research topic your question is related to from the drop-down menu that appears when you begin typing.
- You may add more detail in the Description box (optional). Do NOT attach any files. The U.S. DOT shall not consider any submitted materials other than questions.
- Enter your e-mail address and password.
- When finished, select “Post idea.” If you registered, you will be able to track responses to your post. Please include only one question or comment per post to help us keep the forum organized.
65 results found
-
Would operational advisory systems designed to support emergency-incident roadway coordination and responder convergence?
For Topic 26-FH1, would operational advisory systems designed to support emergency-incident roadway coordination and responder convergence through real-time human-centric guidance be considered responsive to the topic objectives for congestion mitigation and localized traffic operations?
1 vote -
Topic 26-FH1: Edge Artificial Intelligence Vehicle-to-Everything (AI-V2X)
Does the topic seek only vehicle-centric V2X solutions, or would deployable or infrastructure-based edge nodes that provide resilient communications (including failover in degraded or disaster-response environments) also be considered within scope?"
1 vote -
2 votes
-
Auditable validation record
Would an auditable validation record, including scenario inputs, baseline behavior, V2X enabled behavior, timing changes, system outputs, and a tamper evident integrity digest, be considered a valuable deliverable under Topic 26 FH1?
1 vote -
live field data vs applicants use controlled, reproducible corridor scenarios supported by real roadway
Does the topic require live field data during Phase I, or can applicants use controlled, reproducible corridor scenarios supported by real roadway geometry and clearly documented assumptions?
1 vote -
metrics primarily around travel time reduction, or window reduction
Should applicants frame success metrics primarily around travel time reduction, or may they also include conflict window reduction, queue clearance timing, signal phase responsiveness, emergency response delay reduction, and reproducible validation records?
1 vote -
1 vote
-
1 vote
-
AI decision logic only vs a system that validates, compares, and documents edge AI V2X behavior across baseline
Does the topic prioritize development of new roadside edge AI decision logic only, or would it also consider a system that validates, compares, and documents edge AI V2X behavior across baseline and V2X enabled corridor conditions?
1 vote -
V2X validation platform
Would a corridor level V2X validation platform be considered responsive if the Phase I work focuses on proving how edge based V2X decision logic can reduce congestion related conflict exposure, emergency vehicle delay, queue formation, and signal timing failure conditions before infrastructure deployment?
1 vote -
26-FH1
Would a solution that incorporates AI-powered diagnostics and fault detection for traffic signal cabinets to ensure continuous uptime of the edge computing nodes required by the Edge AI-V2X system fall within the scope of this topic?
2 votes -
26-FH1: How is 'edge' defined: RSU-class hardware, TMC server, or proposer-defined?
Does edge computing refer to RSU-class roadside hardware, a local server co-located at or near a Transportation Management Center, or is the proposer expected to define and justify their own edge-cloud boundary as part of the system architecture?
2 votes -
Does Phase I cover Class 2–8 (cargo vans to semi-trucks), or only Class 7–8 heavy freight?
Regarding vehicle weight class eligibility for Phase I demonstrations — does "commercial vehicle" encompass Class 2–8 (cargo vans through semi-trucks), or is the focus limited to Class 7–8 heavy freight? Our platform currently serves the full spectrum of regulated commercial vehicles, and we'd like to ensure the solicitation accommodates mid-size fleet operators before committing to a Phase I proposal scope.
1 vote -
Does V2X include legacy vehicles alongside ELD-equipped fleets, or is V2X-native required?
The solicitation references V2X integration for traffic management. Does "X" include non-connected legacy vehicles operating alongside modern ELD-equipped fleets? Our core innovation is dispatch optimization for mixed human/AV environments — understanding whether FHWA expects a fully V2X-native solution or a hybrid approach will determine our technical approach.
1 vote -
Temporary work-zone congestion
Does topic 26-FH1 consider temporary work-zone congestion caused by roadway maintenance or robotic maintenance operations to be an acceptable Phase I use case for demonstrating Edge-AI/V2X congestion prediction and mitigation?
1 vote -
mobile autonomous aerial sensing platform
Would a mobile autonomous aerial sensing platform be considered an acceptable emerging data source if the proposed system’s main deliverable is an Edge-AI/V2X congestion advisory architecture that detects work-zone or incident-related congestion and delivers location-specific advisories to affected road users and traffic management operators?
1 vote -
26-FH1: Is a formal agency partnership required for Phase I?
Is it sufficient to identify candidate state or local transportation agencies and document a plan for engagement, with a formal partnership established at the start of Phase II?
2 votes -
26-FH1
Does Phase I require physical edge hardware such as an RSU or roadside compute unit as part of the testbed, or is a high-fidelity software simulation environment acceptable as the primary validation platform, provided the system architecture is explicitly designed for transition to physical hardware in Phase II?
2 votes -
Is IRB-approved human-subjects testing required, or is lighter-touch evaluation ok?
For the human factors testing, is the program expecting IRB-approved human-subjects testing, or is a lighter-touch evaluation (heuristic review or expert walk-through) acceptable?
1 vote -
Must multi-agent coordination be demonstrated, or is single-agent with extensibility enough?
On the multi-agent coordination requirement, how much of that needs to be shown at this stage? A small demo with two adjacent edge nodes coordinating is a different scope than a single-agent demo with multi-agent extensibility just documented, so we'd like to scope it right.
1 vote