Four communities of varying sizes in the state of Georgia were selected to develop and implement smart design solutions to some of the biggest challenges facing the state, including issues in housing, traffic congestion, sea level rise and shared autonomous vehicles. The Georgia Smart Communities Challenge is a first-of-its-kind opportunity. It offers the selected communities $50,000 in grant funding, a partnership with a Georgia Tech research team, networking opportunities, and access to additional resources to help execute their projects as they move their communities toward “smart” futures.

Ellen Dunham-Jones, School of Architecture professor and director of the Master of Science in Urban Design program, is the assigned researcher for the Shared Autonomous Vehicle Study. Led by the city of Chamblee, this project will explore improvements in mobility using autonomous vehicles that travel from MARTA stations around the community.

According to Ben Limmer, MARTA Assistant General Manager of Planning, "This project pioneers solutions for transit connectivity and sets Chamblee out as a leader in autonomous shuttle technology not only in Georgia, but also the United States."

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