Drivers in Ohio may see automated vehicles on rural roadways soon.

DriveOhio's Rural Automated Driving Systems project is getting ready for two deployments to gather data on the technology.

The vehicles being deployed have been tested at the Transportation Research Center Inc.'s proving grounds in East Liberty, Ohio. The testing was conducted on closed roadways and studied a full range of situations drivers encounter each day.

According to the release, the DriveOhio project is funded in part by a $7.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation with the goal of demonstrating how connected and automated vehicles could improve safety for drivers in rural areas.

The first deployment includes three passenger vehicles traveling on rural two-lane roads in Athens and Vinton counties.

Testing will include different weather and operational conditions like limited visibility and work zones.

A second deployment will feature two 53-foot tractor-trailers connected by technology that lets them travel closely together at highway speeds.

The testing will take place on the 35-mile U.S. 33 Smart Mobility Corridor designed for testing smart vehicles. Following the testing, a private fleet will begin using the trucks during normal business operations.