The Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT) has been announced as a Tier-2 winner in the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Intersection Safety Challenge. The announcement during the 2025 Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting highlights CE-CERT’s innovative work on improving intersection safety for vulnerable road users (VRUs). This recognition was awarded for the Safety Assurance System for Vulnerable Road Users at Signalized Intersections (SAINT) project, which combines advanced technologies with practical applications to prevent VRU-involved accidents.
The Intersection Safety Challenge is a multi-stage competition designed by the U.S. DOT to encourage developing, testing, and deploying innovative intersection safety systems (ISS) using emerging technologies. The goal of the challenge is to create solutions that leverage artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and sensor technologies to enhance safety at intersections, particularly for vulnerable road users (VRUs) such as pedestrians, cyclists, and micro-mobility users. The competition draws participation from universities, research institutions, local agencies, and private-sector developers across the country.
In Stage 1A of the Challenge, the team submitted a concept paper for the SAINT project—a system aimed at improving safety for vulnerable road users at signalized intersections. The team’s innovative design and ability to address real-world transportation safety challenges earned recognition and a $100,000 prize in Stage 1A.
Following this success, CE-CERT was invited to participate in Stage 1B: System Assessment and Virtual Testing, a more advanced phase of the competition that focuses on testing and refining safety system prototypes using real-world multi-modal sensor data. At the end of Stage 1B in October 2024, the team showcased their sensor fusion, multi-object tracking, and collision prediction algorithms, further improving the system’s capabilities.
CE-CERT's work in Stage 1B has now earned Tier-2 winner status for the SAINT project. This honor recognizes the team’s strong performance in applying AI and other data-driven techniques to predict and mitigate potential conflicts at intersections. The approach integrates cutting-edge technologies such as vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications and advanced computer vision to monitor traffic, track road users, and predict possible accidents in real time.
“Being recognized as a Tier-2 winner is an honor for our team,” said Dr. Guoyuan Wu, the Principal Investigator for the SAINT project. “It validates the hard work we’ve put into this project. This achievement would not have been possible without the collective efforts of our students, faculty, and partners.”
The Tier-2 win includes a $166,666 award and places CE-CERT among a select group of institutions at the forefront of intersection safety research. The SAINT project was specifically commended for its robust path prediction and collision prediction capabilities, which will contribute to a safer future for all road users.
Looking ahead, CE-CERT will continue refining the Intersection Safety System (ISS) and working toward its eventual real-world deployment (e.g., Riverside’s Smart Intersection and Innovation Corridor). The project exemplifies the university’s commitment to advancing intersection safety and its ongoing role in shaping the future of transportation safety nationwide.
“We are proud of how far we’ve come,” said Dr. Wu. “Our team looks forward to further enhancing our system and continuing our efforts to make roads safer for all.”
For more details, the official press release is available at https://its.dot.gov/isc/.