Member Spotlight: Transportation Research Center Inc. (TRC)
Posted by Outreach on Jun. 18, 2026 / Member Spotlight / Subscribe 0
Quote from Brett Roubinek – President and CEO, Transportation Research Center Inc.
"Our engagement with the ITS community is critical because no single organization can build the future of transportation alone. By working alongside public agencies, technology developers, and industry leaders, we help bridge innovation and deployment. That commitment reflects our core value - 'We Drive the Future' - by advancing transportation solutions that are safe, reliable, and ready for real-world use."
About Transportation Research Center Inc.
Transportation Research Center Inc. (TRC), an independent 501c3, is North America’s most advanced service provider, fulfilling the complex engineering, research, validation, evaluation, and testing needs of the world’s leading smart mobility and transportation stakeholders. For over 50 years, industry and governmental agencies alike have relied on TRC Inc. to conduct research into automation, connectivity, alternative fuels (including electrification and hydrogen), safety, efficiency, durability, simulation, and performance across all types of vehicles for ground and air.
TRC‘s headquarters and Ohio facility (TRC Ohio) is located on 4,500 acres in East Liberty, OH, 40 miles northwest of Columbus. TRC Ohio operates 24/7 with a variety of facilities simulating real world scenarios including road courses, wooded trails, 7.5-mile High-speed Oval Test Track, which simulates a highway and a 50-acre Vehicle Dynamics Area that can be used for a large variety of testing scenarios. In addition to the wide array of test-tracks, TRC features a fully configurable high-speed intersection at the SMARTCenter with traffic control signals, which are used to evaluate ITS technologies. On this expansive facility, TRC Ohio conducts programs designed to test safety, energy efficiency, fuel economy, and traffic flow for passenger cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, airplanes, off-road, tracked, alternative-fueled vehicles and its components. TRC’s expertise enables realistic testing of emerging mobility technologies in a safe, controlled, and repeatable manner before they are deployed on public roads.
In 2021, TRC expanded the reach of world-class engineering and technical expertise with the introduction of TRC California, a 225-acre automotive technology testing and research complex near the heart of the west coast’s technology hub. This site extends our offering as a comprehensive, one-stop shop for automotive technology and mobility innovators to affirm the performance, safety, quality and competitiveness of new technologies that are changing the face of transportation worldwide.
In 2024, TRC expanded cold weather capabilities to include the 470-acre AET complex, now known as TRC Minnesota, where we offer an exceptional array of ice- and snow-covered surfaces and sub-zero cold chambers to test vehicle performance under the most severe conditions. From December through March our more than 20 courses are kept groomed to allow for 24/7 testing capability. Our team of experts with more than 30 years of experience are available to support all of your cold weather testing needs!
ITS Midwest Connection
As Intelligent Transportation Systems continue to evolve, TRC has emerged as a critical hub for the testing and deployment of next-generation mobility technologies. Its capabilities support the development of automated and connected vehicles, smart roadway infrastructure, advanced driver assistance systems, V2X communications, traffic signal integration, and emerging artificial intelligence applications designed to improve roadway safety and operational efficiency. Located within one of the nation’s most strategically important freight and automotive regions, TRC also plays an important role in advancing mobility innovation throughout the Midwest and across the broader national transportation network by participating in research and testing for all emerging mobility technologies.
A major milestone in TRC’s evolution came with the opening of the SMARTCenter in 2019. The $45 million, 540-acre Smart Mobility Advanced Research and Test Center is among the most advanced automated and connected vehicle testing environments in the world. Designed to replicate a wide range of real-world roadway conditions, the facility includes more than two million square feet of configurable pavement environments featuring intersections, traffic signals, lane configurations, roadway markings, work zones, and dynamic traffic control systems. The SMARTCenter also incorporates extensive digital infrastructure, including fiber connectivity, roadside units, wireless communications systems, weather sensors, traffic detection technologies, and integrated testing platforms that support connected and automated mobility research at scale. These capabilities enable public agencies, vehicle manufacturers, infrastructure developers, and technology companies to safely evaluate complex transportation scenarios before deployment into live operating environments.
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Transportation Research Center Inc. (TRC)
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