Dr. Klyne Smith Sub-Awarded Grant to Explore Autonomous Military Vehicles for U.S. Air Force

Dr. Klyne Smith, associate professor of Computer Science and Program Director for the Datacenter System Engineering Program at SMU Lyle School of Engineering, and STEER Tech, autonomous vehicle technology developer, have been awarded a Phase 1 grant from the U.S. Air Force to explore transforming existing military vehicles into an autonomous fleet for transporting cargo, equipment and supplies.

STEER Tech is the autonomous industry leader for custom, low-speed automated driving applications. STEER will establish the technical merit and feasibility of applying their automated retrofit solutions to U.S. Air Force Supply and Logistics missions, while Dr. Smith will serve as the research professor for automated vehicles and machine learning. He brings a wealth of expertise in data science, which empowers self-driving cars to collect, analyze and act on information. 

“The U.S. Air Force seeks to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness, to optimize the time and resources, and to remove Airmen from unnecessary dangerous situations,” Dr. Smith said. “Autonomous vehicles can meet many of their needs, including vehicle maintenance, disaster preparedness, heavy duty construction, security patrols, convoy operations and more. Most importantly, the vehicles can complete dangerous missions without risking human lives.”

Fifty two percent of casualties in combat zones are attributed to military personnel delivering food, fuel, and other logistics. Dr. Smith and STEER Tech will explore applying STEER’s innovative autonomous functionality to vehicles that can complete a variety of missions, including base fleet operations, flight line operations and explosive ordnance disposal operations.

The grant – awarded to STEER and Dr. Smith through AFWERX, the innovation arm of the Department of the Air Force and powered by the Air Force Research Laboratory – funds the first step in potentially converting vehicles to a self-driving fleet, which would automate logistics within and between bases to improve efficiency, reduce costs, increase capacity, and enhance readiness, functioning around the clock without distraction or fatigue.

“Automation is the future,” Dr. Smith said. “It will revolutionize logistics and supply chain management.”

About the Bobby B. Lyle School of Engineering
SMU's Lyle School of Engineering thrives on innovation that transcends traditional boundaries. We strongly believe in the power of externally funded, industry-supported research to drive progress and provide exceptional students with valuable industry insights. Our mission is to lead the way in digital transformation within engineering education, all while ensuring that every student graduates as a confident leader. Founded in 1925, SMU Lyle is one of the oldest engineering schools in the Southwest, offering undergraduate and graduate programs, including master's and doctoral degrees.

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