摘要: |
One of the most compelling arguments for a C/AV future is the promise of safety improvements and reduction of motor vehicle crash related fatalities and serious injuries. Particularly, out of the recent estimates of 35,000 to 40,000 traffic fatalities every year, more than one-third of the fatalities occur “outside the vehicle,” which includes motorcyclists, pedestrians, and bicyclists. For example, the fatal pedestrian crash in 2018 between the self-driving SUV operated by Uber highlighted that self-driving cars are currently not infallible; AVs frequently misidentify or are blind to objects and humans in the road and make wrong decisions on whether to stop or keep driving in response.
Pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users (VRUs) are most at risk of injury or death when interacting with vehicles, particularly as drivers are driving faster, in heavier vehicles, and distracted. Connectivity is expected to improve safety for VRUs, but at the responsibility of the VRU to remain constantly “connected” through technology. However, it is not possible, nor equitable, to assume that every pedestrian or cyclist will be carrying a connected device at all times. This project will explore how VRUs could be protected by C/AV and infrastructure technologies in the absence of user-carried smartphone or wearables (e.g., audio, external vehicle displays). |