Alabama Transportation Institute

What Alabama Transportation Institute does

The Alabama Transportation Institute (ATI) is a university-wide, interdisciplinary transportation research center housed within The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Founded in 2017, ATI conducts applied research across transportation policy, planning, operations, safety, and infrastructure, organized around its ACES2 Mobility framework (Automated, Connected, Electric, Shared & Safe). It serves four primary customer segments: state and federal transportation agencies (notably the Alabama Department of Transportation, USDOT, FTA, FHWA, FMCSA, CDC/NIOSH, and NSF), industry partners such as Alabama Power Company and Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, K-12 students and educators across Alabama schools, and University of Alabama faculty across engineering, psychology, nursing, and social work.

ATI's core operating assets include the Alabama Mobility and Power Center (AMP Center, established 2021 for EV research and workforce development), the Transportation Policy Research Center (TPRC), and the Translational Research for Injury Prevention Laboratory (TRIP Lab, housing driving simulators). It operates the ALDOT Traffic Management Center on the UA campus and has deployed AI-enabled traffic sensing (GRIDSMART GS3) at campus intersections. ATI's research output totals 304 publications, presentations, and patents, with reported 1.2B uses and 107,000+ users of its products across Alabama and beyond.

ATI does not sell commercial products. Its revenue is generated primarily through federal research grants (USDOT, FTA, FHWA, CDC/NIOSH, NSF), state funding (Alabama Public School and College Authority, ALDOT, Rebuild Alabama Act), corporate partnerships (Alabama Power, Mercedes-Benz), and modest fees from STEM education programs (e.g., $54 per team for the ACES2 Mobility STEM Competition; $150 per student for the Transportation Innovation & STEM Academy). Distribution is delivered via direct government partnerships, K-12 school engagements, professional conferences, and the annual Southeast CMV Safety Research Summit drawing participants from 22 states.

Name

Alabama Transportation Institute

Legal name

Alabama Transportation Institute

Website

https://ati.ua.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Alabama Transportation Institute is a 2017-founded research center at The University of Alabama conducting interdisciplinary transportation research, EV workforce development, and K-12 STEM outreach under the ACES2 Mobility framework, serving federal/state agencies, industry partners, and Alabama schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Transportation Research and Education Services

NAICS

Other Support Activities for Transportation (4889), Regulation and Administration of Transportation Programs (926120), Urban Transit Systems (4851)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Transportation Services (4700), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Transportation & Traffic Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Transportation & Infrastructure Planning (BPAHAKAF), Alternative Fuel, Hybrid & EV Service (High-Voltage) (EDAOAEAL)

Keywords

• Transportation research
• Autonomous vehicle safety
• Electric mobility research
• STEM education outreach
• Traffic operations engineering

Headquarters

HQ city

Tuscaloosa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Federal Research Grants: ATI generates revenue primarily through federally-funded transportation research projects, including grants from USDOT, FTA, FHWA, CDC/NIOSH, and NSF. These grants support infrastructure development, autonomous vehicle research, and transportation safety initiatives.
2. State Funding: State-funded projects through ALDOT and Alabama state government programs such as the Rebuild Alabama Act, supporting local transportation infrastructure improvements.
3. Private Partnerships: Collaborations with industry partners like Alabama Power Company and Mercedes-Benz U.S. International provide funding for electric vehicle research and workforce development initiatives.
4. Education Programs: Revenue from STEM education programs including registration fees for youth academies and competitions, supporting workforce development outreach activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Alabama Transportation Institute is a university research center that conducts interdisciplinary transportation research, provides STEM education and workforce development programs, and operates specialized research centers focused on ACES2 (Automated, Connected, Electric, Shared & Safe) Mobility. It delivers federally- and state-funded research projects in traffic management, autonomous vehicles, electric mobility, and transportation safety, alongside K-12 STEM outreach programs and industry workforce development partnerships.

Product overview

The Alabama Transportation Institute operates as a multi-component research and education ecosystem focused on ACES2 Mobility (Automated, Connected, Electric, Shared & Safe). The core research infrastructure includes the Alabama Mobility and Power Center (AMP Center), Transportation Policy Research Center, and TRIP Lab. ATI offers youth development programs including the Transportation Innovation & STEM Academy, ACES2 Mobility STEM Competition, UA National Summer Transportation Institute, and Walk Smart Alabama community events. Technology offerings include the GRIDSMART GS3 vehicle detection system and the annual Southeast CMV Safety Research Summit. These components work together to advance transportation innovation, STEM workforce development, and safety research across Alabama.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ACES2 Mobility: Automated, Connected, Electric, Shared & Safe Mobility initiative focused on transportation innovation for Alabama residents
• Alabama Mobility and Power Center (AMP)
• Transportation Policy Research Center (TPRC)

Products and services

• ACES2 Mobility STEM Competition A statewide, hands-on engineering design competition for middle school student teams, applying ACES2 Mobility concepts to real-world transportation challenges such as sustainable transportation and accessible infrastructure.
• Transportation Innovation & STEM Academy A weeklong immersive summer academy for rising 6th-8th grade students that introduces modern transportation through robotics, physics principles, engineering design, and real-world problem-solving, with 20 student slots per session.
• Alabama Mobility and Power Center (AMP) A research and workforce development center focused on electric vehicle market needs, formed as a partnership between The University of Alabama, Alabama Power Company, and Mercedes-Benz U.S. International. AMP delivers EV research, charging infrastructure planning, and workforce training programs.
• Transportation Policy Research Center (TPRC) A research center within ATI that conducts transportation policy analysis and development for state and federal transportation stakeholders.
• TRIP Lab (Translational Research for Injury Prevention Laboratory) A laboratory conducting human-centered driving research using unique driving simulators for distracted driving prevention and data-driven research on human behavior, housed in the UA Smart Communities and Innovation Building.
• UA National Summer Transportation Institute A two-week in-residence educational program for grades 6-9 sponsored by ALDOT and the Federal Highway Administration, covering STEM literacy, transportation engineering, and computer science.
• Walk Smart Alabama A community STEM event series bringing pedestrian safety education to families across Alabama in partnership with the Tuscaloosa Public Library.
• Autonomous and Connected Transportation (ACT) REU A Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program focused on autonomous and connected transportation technology, conducted in collaboration with the UA Graduate School.

Quantifiable outcome

• $100M in federally-supported projects obtained to help Alabama communities build transportation infrastructure
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of Alabama Graduate SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2026Collaboration on the Autonomous and Connected Transportation (ACT) REU program and other graduate research opportunities in transportation engineering.
• Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeep partnership with ALDOT includes hosting the Traffic Management Center on UA campus, collaborative smart infrastructure projects, and federal grant programs. ALDOT provides funding and operational support for transportation research initiatives across Alabama.
• Alabama Mobility and Power Center (AMP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAMP is an affiliated research center under ATI focused on electric vehicle research and workforce development. Partnerships with Alabama Power Company and Mercedes-Benz US International fuel the center's initiatives in EV technology and charging infrastructure.
• Center for Advanced Public Safety (CAPS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with CAPS on commercial motor vehicle safety research, including hosting the annual Southeast CMV Safety Research Summit. The summit brings together government, industry, and research personnel from 22+ states.
• Translational Research for Injury Prevention Laboratory (TRIP Lab)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with TRIP Lab for human factors driving research using advanced driving simulation technology. Lab is housed in UA's Smart Communities and Innovation Building alongside ATI.
• Alabama Power CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrong partnership with Alabama Power Company to fuel the Alabama Mobility and Power Center for EV research. Partnership includes state bond funding ($16.5M) and industry collaboration for electric vehicle ecosystem development.
• Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Mercedes-Benz US International to support the Alabama Mobility and Power Center, addressing workforce needs for the booming electric vehicle market in Alabama through research and training programs.
• Kimley-HornminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvided hands-on demonstrations and presentations at Transportation Awareness Day events, showcasing transportation technology advancements and career pathways to students.
• UA Office of Interdisciplinary STEM Education ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner for STEM education initiatives, providing expertise and resources for K-12 outreach programs and teacher professional development.
• Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative (AMSTI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerATI Education and Outreach Program has earned TEAMS Approval and AMSTI Affiliation, reinforcing commitment to excellence in STEM education. Provides research-driven professional development workshops for educators.
• Alabama STEM EducationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for drone workshops and STEM education activities for young students, including workshops for 4th and 5th grade students from schools in Bessemer, AL.
• Tuscaloosa Public LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Walk Smart Alabama Community STEM Events bringing transportation-focused activities to families across Tuscaloosa.
• Hale County Board of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term partnership supporting Transportation Awareness Day events and career exploration at Hale County College and Career Academy and Greensboro Middle School.
• TraCR UTC (Transportation Cybersecurity and Resiliency University Transportation Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerATI is a member of TraCR UTC led by Clemson University, focused on transportation cybersecurity. ATI conducted live outdoor demonstrations at the 2024 USDOT Future of Transportation Summit.
• National Center for Transportation Cybersecurity and Resiliency (TraCR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerATI Executive Director Steven Jones serves as associate director of this Clemson-led national center, bringing rural perspective to transportation cybersecurity research.
• National Center for Rural Road SafetycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerATI leads the Alabama team under this national center, contributing rural perspective to transportation safety research and outreach.
• FHWA New Mobility Center of ExcellencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerATI leads the Alabama team contributing rural perspective to the FHWA Center of Excellence focused on new mobility solutions and autonomous vehicles.
• Center for Regional and Rural Connected Communities (CR2C2)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSDOT-funded Region IV University Transportation Center. ATI Executive Director Steven Jones serves as technology transfer director, coordinating research and technology transfer activities.
• Air University K-12 STEM Outreach ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInvestment partner for AR/VR Labs at Alabama schools, including second AR/VR Lab installation at Greensboro Middle School.
• C&J ResourcesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner providing educational resources and support for STEM education initiatives in Alabama schools.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• RAND Corporation: Non-profit research institution conducting policy analysis including transportation policy, similar in policy research orientation to ATI's Transportation Policy Research Center, but with vastly broader scope and reach.
• Kimley-Horn: Major transportation engineering consulting firm that is both a partner of ATI and a competitor for state DOT research and consulting work. Comparable in serving state DOT clients on traffic and infrastructure projects.
• Battelle Memorial Institute: Large non-profit applied research and development organization with significant transportation and infrastructure work. Overlaps with ATI on smart infrastructure and transportation systems, but operates at far greater scale.
• Southwest Research Institute (SwRI): Large, independent non-profit R&D organization with significant transportation and automotive engineering work. Comparable in mission (applied transportation R&D) but with much broader industrial scope and commercial revenue.

Direct peers

• Center for Transportation Research (UT Austin): UT Austin's transportation research center performing engineering and policy research on infrastructure, traffic operations, and mobility. Directly comparable academic-research model.
• Mineta Transportation Institute: San Jose State University's transportation policy research institute, established under federal UTC program. Directly comparable in mission, university affiliation, and grant-funded policy research.
• Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI): A leading university transportation research center focused on driving safety, automated vehicles, and human factors research. Closely comparable to ATI's TRIP Lab and AV research programs.
• Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI): The largest university-affiliated transportation research institute in the US, performing multi-disciplinary research on safety, infrastructure, and mobility. Directly comparable to ATI in model (university-based, grant-funded, interdisciplinary) and scope.
• University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI): University-based research institute conducting interdisciplinary transportation research on safety, mobility, and vehicle automation. Comparable in research model and autonomous vehicle focus.

Emerging players

• Center for Advanced Public Safety (CAPS): Adjacent UA research center collaborating with ATI on commercial motor vehicle safety research and the Southeast CMV Safety Research Summit. Comparable research model and UA affiliation, but with a narrower public-safety focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@alabamatransportationinsti7327
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alabama-transportation-institute
• Xx.com/ATI_UA

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Alabama Transportation Institute