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A stretch of Tennessee highway between Memphis and BlueOval City will host a pilot project evaluating autonomous freight technologies, and the state’s transportation department has selected a Washington, D.C.-based company to lead the way.

Cavnue, LLC will plan, design and help test Connected and Autonomous Vehicle (CAV) technologies on a segment of Interstate 40 during the multi-year pilot, according to a March 27 news release.

Connected vehicles use radio signals to exchange information with other cars or infrastructure to “sense” potential hazards, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Autonomous vehicles can operate without driver input. CAVs combine both technologies.

Tennessee’s transportation department is looking to the pilot to steer the state’s long-term freight modernization planning.  The department seeks to understand how new technology might reduce congestion, improve safety, increase efficiency and incident response and support freight management applications.

The pilot is expected to run through 2028.

“This pilot strengthens one of our most important freight corridors and supports continued economic development in West Tennessee,” Gov. Bill Lee stated in the release. “By embracing new technology, we’re ensuring our infrastructure keeps pace with the needs of Tennesseans and the industries that drive our economy.”

Interstate 40 is one of Tennessee’s busiest highways, running the entire length of the state. The construction of Ford Motor Company’s BlueOval City manufacturing plant and other industrial projects in West Tennessee are expected to increase freight volumes along the route over the next several years.

Cavnue will analyze the corridor’s existing infrastructure, develop a design for the pilot and install temporary roadside and vehicle-based technologies, according to the release. The firm will also collect and analyze real-time data, engage with stakeholders and evaluate performance, safety impacts and benefits to freight operations. 

The Tennessee Department of Transportation must approve the planning and design phase of the pilot before on-road testing begins.

“Adopting emerging technologies is essential for strengthening Tennessee’s freight corridors and positioning the state for advancements in autonomous and connected freight systems that improve safety, mobility, and reliability,” the release states. 

Cavnue, which bills itself as a smart road developer, is partnered with Michigan, Texas and Georgia on similar projects. 

The firm worked with the Michigan Department of Transportation to build a 3-mile “proof of concept” CAV corridor on a segment of Interstate 94. The smart lane launched in summer 2024, including sensors, wireless communications and a digital “twin” of the roadway meant to notify vehicles of congestion and debris and alert the state’s transportation department to incidents in real time. 

The smart express lane for passenger vehicles and transit will ultimately connect Ann Arbor to Detroit, a 39-mile stretch, according to Michigan’s transportation department.

In Texas, the company is adding sensors, cameras and computing infrastructure to a segment of highway in the greater Austin area, aiming to improve traffic flow, safety and efficiency. Cavnue’s partnership with Georgia is similarly testing smart road technology in the state.

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