A UC Riverside electrical and computer engineering student earned third place at the 2026 Bob Crommelin Student Presentation Award Meeting, an annual conference hosted by the Riverside and San Bernardino chapter of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (RSBITE).
Gilbert Sanchez, a senior in electrical and computer engineering and vice president of the UCR Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Student Chapter, represented UCR at this year’s event on May 7. This marked the second year of UCR ITE’s involvement in the Bob Crommelin meeting, which brings together students to present transportation-related research and project concepts.
Sanchez presented “Smart Navigation: Dynamic Rerouting Using Real-Time Data,” a proof-of-concept project that explores how live traffic camera data could support more responsive navigation systems.
The project focuses on a common challenge for drivers: navigation apps that may not always adjust routes effectively when traffic conditions change. Sanchez’s concept uses live freeway camera footage from Caltrans QuickMap and Riverside city traffic cameras to monitor traffic conditions in real time. The information could then be used to help a navigation system dynamically reroute drivers when congestion, crashes, or other incidents occur.
The project was developed through a course taught by Guoyuan Wu, a CE-CERT research faculty member, adjunct professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and founding faculty advisor for the UCR ITE Student Chapter. Sanchez also consulted with several CE-CERT graduate students, including Ziyan Zhang and Edison Li, while exploring the project’s implementation.
The team expects to continue work on the project in the fall quarter, with the goal of moving from proof of concept toward a working product. The project’s long-term goals include shortening commute times and improving traffic flow in the Inland Empire road network.
By combining real-time traffic data with dynamic routing, the project reflects student interest in developing intelligent transportation systems that can respond more effectively to changing road conditions and mitigate the existing transportation-related issues in our communities.
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