If you would like to be notified of future Safe-D webinars, please fill out this form.
| Title/Project/Date | Speaker | Webinar Overview |
|---|---|---|
| Title: Automated Shuttles and Buses for All Users
Project: Safe-D 05-093 Date: March 28, 2023, 14:00 ET Zoom Link: Register via Zoom |
 Dr. Katherine F. Turnbull, Texas A&M Transportation Institute |
Individuals using wheelchairs and those with limited or no sight face extra safety issues in the use of public transit, as well as personal vehicles, including getting to and from a bus or shuttle stop, getting on and off a vehicle, and being secure while riding in a vehicle. These same issues may be encountered with the use of automated shuttles and buses. This project explored these issues by introducing disabled individuals to an automated shuttle in Arlington, Texas, and a smart intersection in College Station, Texas. It also reviewed related pilots, demonstrations, and research activities. This presentation summarizes the results of this project, including exploring enhancements to vehicles, service operations, the street system, and the built environment to ensure that disabled individuals have equal and safe access to automated shuttles and buses to improve their mobility. |
| Title: Lane Change Hazard Analysis Using Radar Traces to Identify Conflicts and Time-To-Collision Measures
Project: Safe-D 05-082 Date: April 13, 2023, 14:00 ET Zoom Link: Register via Zoom |
 Dr. Balachandar Guduri, Virginia Tech Transportation Institute |
This project analyzed existing data and assessed the safety equivalency of prototype video-based camera systems to support Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 111 rulemaking efforts and investigate camera-based side view systems. The researchers mined an existing set of radar data surrounding real-world lane change events. The study was performed in Southwest Virginia using 36 drivers experiencing both conventional and camera-based systems over a month-long naturalistic exposure period (2 weeks conventional, 2 weeks camera-based). Study vehicles were instrumented with a data acquisition system to capture and record time-synchronized video and parametric measures from key-on through key-off (i.e., the entirety of each trip). Analyses focused on potential lane change conflicts and hazards identified using time-to-collision values (which in turn were derived from rear-mounted radar units) surrounding signalized lane change events. Results provided no compelling evidence to suggest that camera-based systems adversely affected lane change performance to lead to riskier or more hazardous lane changes compared to conventional mirror systems. Results instead suggested that camera-based systems, when appropriately designed, can help drivers detect potential conflicts because of the wider field of view afforded by these systems, enabling drivers to assess the presence of a vehicle in the target lane. |
| Title: Autonomous Vehicles for Small Towns: System, Service, and Safety from Research to Practice
Project: Safe-D 05-109 Date: May 4, 2023, 14:00 ET Zoom Link: Register via Zoom |
Moderator: Dr. Marcia Ory, Texas A&M University Presenters: |
As of 2021, there were 18,696 small towns in the U.S. with a population of less than 50,000. These communities typically have a low population density, few if any public transport services, and limited accessibility to daily services. This can pose significant challenges for residents trying to fulfill essential travel needs and access healthcare. Autonomous vehicles (AV) provide a convenient, safe way for people to get around without requiring human drivers, which makes them a promising transportation solution for these small towns. AV technology can become a first-line mobility option for people who are unable to drive, such as older adults or people with disabilities, while also reducing the cost of transportation for both individuals with special needs and municipalities.
This webinar will give municipal leaders, transportation professionals, and researchers a better understanding of how AV deployment can serve American small towns. First, audiences will learn about how residents in small towns perceive AV, including both positive and negative aspects. Second, they will see various challenges and opportunities of AV deployment through a pilot program, ENDEAVRide, which is a novel “Taxi + Telemedicine 2-in-1” service delivered on a self-driving van in central Texas. Third, audiences will recognize the potential of open-source technologies as an affordable AV deployment model, designed to fit small towns’ budgets. Fourth, they will come to a deeper understanding of the safety implications of AV deployment. In all, audiences will leave with a more comprehensive view of what AV have to offer small towns and what their deployment looks like in practice. |
| Title: Evaluating the Safe Routes to School (SR2S) Transportation Program in Socially Vulnerable Communities in San Diego County, California
Project: Safe-D 06-011 Date: June 9 2023, 14:00 ET Zoom Link: Register via Zoom |
PI Dr. Gabriela Fernandez, San Diego State University Co-PIs Graduate Students |
This project evaluated Safe Routes 2 School (SR2S), a federally funded program, in socially vulnerable communities in San Diego County. Researchers identified injury and fatality hot spot areas for future routing improvements. Researchers then developed and designed an SR2S web-based visualization tool for easy road safety monitoring and reporting. Additionally, to strengthen community collaboration in transit safety across San Diego County, researchers created SR2S surveys and developed a virtual reality educational transit safety training game, “KIDS 4 Safe Routes VR,” for children ages 11 to 14 years old. |
