Highlights from the Bass Connections Annual Report

As autonomous vehicles move closer to joining our roadways in substantial numbers, state and federal governments are considering how to develop safety regulations for this new technology.

North Carolina is one of ten states to have a federally-recognized proving ground for testing autonomous vehicles, located on 13 miles of Interstate 540 in Raleigh. A Bass Connections project team team analyzed trends in state governance across the country and applied lessons learned to North Carolina.

The great thing about studying energy at Duke is the variety of out-of-classroom opportunities, including significant industry exposure. I am confident that my education and experiences are preparing me to make a true impact in the energy sector. –Leah Louis-Prescott (M.E.M. ’18)

Team members prepared two white papers on state-level regulation and a proposal for the use of the proving ground, and compiled a set of policy recommendations for the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Students also shared team findings at the State Energy Conference in Raleigh, where they received honorable mention for their poster.

Team members Soli Shin (M.E.M. ’18) and Sarah Sibley ’19 shared highlights from their team's research by giving a lightning talk at the Bass Connections Showcase in April 2018. Shin also completed a related master’s project. 

Faculty leaders Lori Bennear, Michael Clamann and Jonathan Wiener will continue to collaborate on research into this issue.

Learn More

• Browse the Bass Connections 2017-18 Annual Report.
• Check out additional teams in the Energy & Environment theme.
• Save the date for the Bass Connections Fair on January 22.