Driving Research through Innovative Viable Economic Solutions Act of 2012 or DRIVES Act of 2012 - Amends federal transportation law related to: (1) surface transportation research, (2) technology deployment, (3) transportation training and education, (4) intelligent transportation systems, (5) University Transportation Centers, and (6) the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
Reauthorizes appropriations out of the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) for up to 80% of the costs of those programs and entities for FY2013-FY2016.
Allows the Secretary to carry out surface transportation research and development activities to: (1) improve highway safety; (2) improve infrastructure integrity; (3) reduce congestion, improve highway operations, and enhance freight productivity; and (4) assess policy and system financing alternatives.
Eliminates the Long-Term Pavement Performance, Seismic Research, and Long-Term Bridge Performance programs.
Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) implement a competitive prize program to stimulate surface transportation innovations, and (2) establish up to four Centers for Surface Transportation Excellence to assist states in implementing surface transportation programs.
Requires the Secretary to implement a technology deployment program relating to all aspects of highway transportation. Eliminates the Innovative Bridge Research and Construction, Innovative Pavement Research and Deployment, and Safety Innovation Deployment programs.
Directs the Secretary to implement the recommendations of the Future Strategic Highway Research program administered by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS).
Sets the federal share of the costs of local technical assistance center activities at 50%.
Requires amounts provided to institutions of higher education (IHEs) under the Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship program to be used for student expenses.
Eliminates the authority of states to use for surface transportation workforce development, training, and education certain federal funds they received to maintain the Interstate Highway System or replace or rehabilitate highway bridges.
Repeals the International Highway Transportation Outreach and Surface Transportation-Environmental Cooperative Research programs.
Requires the Secretary to develop a strategic five-year plan to guide federal transportation research and development activities.
Repeals the National Cooperative Freight Transportation Research and Future Strategic Highway Research programs.
Requires the Secretary to develop a five-year National Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) program plan.
Amends SAFETEA-LU to require the Secretary to ensure that ITS programs conform with regional ITS architecture and standards.
Authorizes the Administrator of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration, with a 50% federal share, to carry out collaborative research and development with non-federal entities, federal laboratories, and other federal agencies.
Revises the university transportation centers program to establish competitive grants to IHEs to establish and operate university transportation centers for 65% of the costs to: (1) improve highway safety; (2) improve infrastructure integrity; (3) reduce congestion, improve highway operations, and enhance freight productivity; and (4) assess policy and system financing alternatives.