University of Leeds (LEEDS)
34-40 University Road, Leeds LS2 9JT
http://www.its.leeds.ac.uk/
n.merat@leeds.ac.uk
@ITSLeeds, @HFS_ITSLeeds
About LEEDS
The Institute for Transport Studies (ITS) at the University of Leeds undertakes research ranging from the blue skies exploration of new ideas and concepts to targeted commissions for specific clients. ITS has over 60 research staff specializing in a wide variety of background disciplines, and it is one of the world’s largest academic centres for Transport research. It has a track record of providing expert advice to international organisations and national governments, along with contributing to academic journals and conferences. The work in interACT is managed by members of the Human Factors and Safety Group (HFS) group at ITS, whose focus is on the investigation of road users’ interactions with new and current transport systems and technologies in a bid to advance transport safety. The team has over 15 years’ experience of studying the human factors implications of automated vehicles, and comprises of researchers in psychology, physiology, engineering, computing and social science.
Role in the project
The team at ITS will investigate the interaction requirements of road users in the UK, using a mixture of observational and simulator-based studies. The current interaction strategies of pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers will be explored through observations and interviews at key locations in Leeds. Innovative automated video analysis techniques will enable the categorisation of typical interaction behaviours, and the development of behavioural models. The University of Leeds simulators will be used to design and evaluate various solutions for increasing the communication capability of AVs, based on the outcomes of the observational studies. A user-centred approach will be adopted, and any communication strategies developed will be tested to ensure appropriate levels of user understanding, acceptance, and trust.
