# Autonomous Vehicles in Rural Areas: A Review of Challenges, Opportunities, and Solutions
## 3 Results
### Field Test-Based Studies for AVs Deployment in Rural Areas
The CASSI program, led by the North Carolina Department of Transportation, deployed Navya low-speed, all-electric shuttles on predefined routes at Cary's Bond Park, UNC Charlotte, and the Wright Brothers National Memorial, integrating V2I communication and first-mile/last-mile transit solutions. The Cary pilot operated on a 1.6-mile loop, covering 250 service miles, while at UNC Charlotte, the shuttle traveled 745 miles along a 2.2-mile route [46; 67; 83; 84]. The Drive MN initiative, led by the Minnesota Department of Transportation, tested two research CAVs across more than 1087 miles on Minnesota's rural roads to assess roadway readiness for automated driving. The project covered diverse routes, including two-, four-, and six-lane asphalt and concrete roads, with traffic signals, roundabouts, J-turn intersections, and construction zones. Tests were conducted under challenging conditions like fog and glare [43; 72]. [PERSON] (2022) explored how connected, autonomous, and electric vehicles (CAEVs) could support sustainable rural transport development in the UK [44], addressing issues like accessibility, \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c} \hline \hline
**Project Name/Author; Year** & **Organization** & **Type \({}^{*}\)** & **Route/Road Types** \\ \hline [PERSON]; (2022) [44] & University of Nottingham & Demo & On-Demand routes \\ \hline goMARTI Project; (2022–2024) [71] & Minnesota’s May Mobility & Deploy & On-Demand routes \\ \hline DriveMN Project; (2022) [72] & Minnesota DOT & Deploy & Fixed routes \\ \hline CASSI Project; (2020, 2021, 2023) [67] & North Carolina DOT & Demo & Fixed Blacktop, parking \\  & & & lots \\ \hline TEDDY Project; (2022) [73] & National Park Service & Demo & Fixed Blacktop, parking \\  & & & lots \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular} \({}^{*}\) Note: Demo: demonstration; Deploy: deployment; DOT: Department of Transportation.  
\end{table} 
Table 1: _Cont._safety, economic isolation, and limited digital connectivity. The research included field tests assessing GNSS NRTK positioning accuracy and the impact of environmental factors on DSRC signal strength. Logistical constraints and the COVID-19 pandemic limited the scope of these tests. [PERSON] developed the CAEV Rural Transport Index (CARTI) to help transport planners assess rural areas' needs and readiness by considering factors such as emissions, public transport access, and internet coverage. The DriveOhio Automated Driving Systems (ADS) for Rural America project [69], a USDOT initiative, tests CAVs on rural Ohio roads to improve safety and mobility in challenging environments like hilly terrain, winding roads, and construction zones. Heavy-duty trucks, equipped with Bosch Platoon Controllers and automated emergency braking, and light-duty vehicles, using Autonomous-Stuff for localization and object detection, were tested with radar, LiDAR, cameras, GPS, and V2V communication. Data on vehicle location, speed, steering, disengagements, and environmental conditions are stored on Amazon Web Services. The project highlights AVs' potential to enhance rural mobility, particularly for older residents, and refines AV technologies for complex environments [68,85].