Research

Advanced Product Test & Evaluation

The Advanced Product Test and Evaluation Laboratory conducts applied research to support light-vehicle human factors, transportation safety, driver performance, collision warning and avoidance technologies, and vehicle-highway automation. Much of the work is proprietary in nature for OEMs and suppliers. Recent efforts have included drowsy driver detection and mitigation, evaluating the effectiveness of technologies designed to assist drivers while backing, lateral controllability assessments characterizing the drivers' ability to control and recover from unexpected and erroneous steering torque inputs under semi-automated driving, and evaluating prototype camera-based systems intended to replace light passenger vehicle conventional exterior mirrors.

Advanced Vehicle Systems & Interfaces

The Advanced Vehicle Systems and Interfaces laboratory focuses primarily on in-vehicle technologies that are designed to assist drivers with crash avoidance or mitigation. These technologies include Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAV). Working primarily with private-industry sponsors, this group routinely assesses safety benefits through strategic evaluations, with customized protocols that often include coordinated vehicle interactions. Emphasis is also placed on how these technologies communicate necessary information to the driver and other occupants, where applicable, with assessments measuring intuitiveness and the appropriateness of response.

Dynamics, Electronics, & Perception Systems

As the name implies, the Dynamics, Electronics, and Perception Systems (DEPS) group focuses on the research, development, and evaluation of the vehicle's physical systems. These systems are key for the perception of a vehicle's surrounding, the execution of vehicle control based on that information, and the reliable operation in both normal and suboptimal conditions. The breadth of this research is reflected in recent and current projects which range from the testing and characterization of sensors in degraded conditions, cyber resiliency and data analytics, and development of methods for FMVSS compliance verification with ADS-DVs.

Training Systems

The Training Systems group is involved in improving driving safety through training systems not only for novice drivers but also for drivers of automated vehicle systems. This group is focused on the development of monitoring and feedback technologies for a variety of applications as well as furthering our knowledge base on how drivers learn to interact, engage, and use automated systems with a goal of improving overall safety on our nation's roadways.

Vulnerable Road User (VRU) Safety

The VRU Safety Group conducts applied research and outreach activities with the goal of enhancing safety and mobility for all VRUs who may be at greater risk due to reduced independence or a disparity in equity.

Mission: Conduct applied research and outreach to enhance safety and mobility for all VRUs, including older adults, pedestrians, bicyclists, people with disabilities, and other underrepresented demographics.

Strategies to Reduce Truck-Mounted Attenuator (TMA) Crashes

The objective of this project is to identify the most promising methods that could reduce the occurrence and severity of TMA crashes in construction and maintenance work zones, including both stationary and mobile operations. The research team will consider methods to improve the conspicuity of TMAs, including changes in markings, colors, or lighting; changes in traffic control devices (TCDs); changes in the location, staging, or setup of TMAs for different work zone configurations; improvements in operator training; methods to improve the safety of the TMA operator in the event a collision does occur; and connected vehicle applications that provide vehicle-to-vehicle warnings and pre-collision alarms or advance notice of the TMA's location for oncoming drivers.

Estimating the 2016 Lives Saved, Injuries Prevented, and Benefit-Cost Ratio for Two or More Infrastructure Categories

The objective of this task order was to develop a 2016 national estimate of the number of lives saved, number of injuries prevented, and the benefit-cost ratio for two or more of the following safety infrastructure types: guardrails, cable median barriers, concrete barriers, shoulder width, rumble strips, and roundabouts.