§ 516. Research and development

• (a) The Secretary shall carry out a comprehensive program of intelligent transportation system research and development, and operational tests of intelligent vehicles, intelligent infrastructure systems, and other similar activities that are necessary to carry out this chapter.
• (b) Under the program, the Secretary shall give higher priority to funding projects that—
  • (1) enhance mobility and productivity through improved traffic management, incident management, transit management, freight management, road weather management, toll collection, traveler information, or highway operations systems and remote sensing products;
  • (2) use interdisciplinary approaches to develop traffic management strategies and tools to address multiple impacts of congestion concurrently;
  • (3) address traffic management, incident management, transit management, toll collection traveler information, or highway operations systems;
  • (4) incorporate research on the potential impact of environmental, weather, and natural conditions on intelligent transportation systems, including the effects of cold climates;
  • (5) enhance intermodal use of intelligent transportation systems for diverse groups, including for emergency and health-related services;
  • (6) enhance safety through improved crash avoidance and protection, crash and other notification, commercial motor vehicle operations, and infrastructure-based or cooperative safety systems, including animal detection systems to reduce the number of wildlife-vehicle collisions; or
  • (7) facilitate the integration of intelligent infrastructure, vehicle, and control technologies.
• (c) The Federal share payable on account of any project or activity carried out under subsection (a) shall not exceed 80 percent.