Research

Understanding Bicyclist Behavior and Perception of B2X Advanced Warning Messages within Virtual Reality

The integration of connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) technologies into our transportation networks holds the promise of revolutionizing how we travel. This research seeks to address these concerns by focusing on the dynamic interactions between bicyclists and CAVs, particularly at critical junctions like T-intersections where the risk of accidents is heightened with reduced sight distance.

This study employs a virtual reality (VR) simulation environment developed in Unity to assess the impact of heads-up display (HUD) advanced warning messages on bicyclist behavior (Figure 1). Conducted at the Transportation Research and Visualization Laboratory (TRAVL), the experiment simulates a T-intersection (Figure 2) where a bicyclist encounters a CAV. Participants' responses are evaluated under three distinct scenarios:

a typical interaction at the T-intersection,
a visual bicycle-to-everything (B2X) warning message regarding a CAV's presence at the intersection, and
a visual B2X message including CAV’s yielding behavior at the intersection.

Research Highlights

Realistic VR Environment: Utilizes cutting-edge VR technology to create a safe, controlled setting for testing interactions between bicyclists and CAVs, ensuring high fidelity and eliminating the risks associated with real-world testing.

Advanced Warning Systems: Investigates the efficacy of HUD-based B2X warning messages in enhancing bicyclist safety by providing timely and critical information about CAV behaviors.

Comprehensive Data Analysis: Incorporates physiological and behavioral data to gain a deeper understanding of how bicyclists perceive and react to CAVs in near-real traffic scenarios.

CAV Deployment Insight: Aims to identify key factors that influence VRU behavior and perception, guiding the future development and deployment of B2X communications and CAV functionalities.

Travel Needs of Young Adults with High Functioning Autistic Spectrum Disorder and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder while Navigating through Cities

This project utilizes new technologies and adaptive curricula to understand needs of people on the autism spectrum and with attention-deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) when they navigate through cities using different modes and increase their confidence as drivers while leveraging their unique cognitive skills and addressing their individual learning needs

Approximately 11.4 and 1.6 million adults are diagnosed with ADHD and high-functioning ASD (HF ASD), respectively, causing them to experience difficulties in navigating social situations and travel through city.

Research Question of this project are as following: (i) Explore responses of neurodivergent young adults while navigate city streets using 4 modes (walking, biking, driving, riding a bus); and (ii) Use these physiological and behavioral responses to better understand how such individuals: multitask during travel, react to unforeseen circumstances, adhere to traffic regulations, communicate with other road users.

To address the need of such young adults, this study will integrate different full-scale simulators with adaptive scenarios to understand their preferences, challenges, and barriers. This project will employ virtual reality (VR) at the University at Buffalo’s Transportation Research and Visualization Laboratory (TRAVL) to simulate real-world city travel scenarios. Driving simulators and VR offer a controlled environment where individuals can practice driving skills in a safe and supportive setting. The use of adaptive scenarios will further enhance the effectiveness of simulator experiments and training by personalizing the curriculum to the participant's performance, learning style, and perceived skills.

Revisioning Grant Street in Buffalo, NY

TRAVL is partnering with GObike Buffalo to reimagine Grant Street in Buffalo, NY through a Justice, Equity. Diversity and Inclusion research micro-grant through UB’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

Grant Street is an important connector between northern and downtown Buffalo, and is made up of small-scale, owner-occupied, mixed-use development in a historically underserved community. Many of the residents in surrounding neighborhoods rely on walking, bicycling, electric scooters or public transportation to travel, and the current vehicle-centric design of Grant Street limits their ability to do so.

GObike Buffalo promotes active mobility options – like bicycling and walking – develops trails and greenways and implements complete streets in Western New York. TRAVL and GObike Buffalo are developing alternative roadway designs to provide multimodal transportation infrastructure and reconnect the Grant Street community with the rest of the city. TRAVL is developing multiple roadway design alternatives within immersive virtual environments and engaging the community to participate in pedestrian and bicyclist virtual reality studies to evaluate roadway user safety, behavior and preference to make the most impactful and informed decisions for implementation. TRAVL is also demonstrating and communicating these alternatives and working to educate the community on proper use of new infrastructure in public meetings.

Exploring the Impact of Driving Anxiety and Nervousness on Young Drivers: An Integrated Study Using Surveys, Interviews, and VR Simulations

The prevalence of driving anxiety among young drivers is increasingly recognized as a significant barrier to road safety. This study investigates the roots and effects of driving anxiety in young drivers (18-25 years) across urban and suburban settings through a mixed-methods approach, blending quantitative surveys and qualitative insights from 120 participants.

The quantitative analysis assessed correlations between anxiety levels and specific driving situations, while the qualitative aspect delved into personal narratives to explore the contextual triggers of anxiety. Data for the pilot study were collected regarding variables such as driving frequency, avoidance behaviors, and the presence of passengers, which were then statistically analyzed to identify patterns correlating with increased anxiety.

Pilot study findings reveal that high anxiety levels among young drivers are often linked with fears of high-speed highways, dense traffic, and adverse weather conditions. Notably, a significant portion of respondents reported exacerbated anxiety when driving in unfamiliar areas or during nighttime, indicating a strong sensory component to their fears. Qualitative responses highlighted the impact of past negative experiences and the perceived pressure of real-time decision-making as major anxiety triggers.

This study underscores the complexity of driving anxiety among young drivers, highlighting a multifaceted problem influenced by both individual susceptibility and external conditions. The findings advocate for tailored educational programs that address both the skills and psychological resilience needed for competent driving. Enhanced training methods, including the use of driving simulators and exposure therapy, are recommended to better prepare young drivers for the varying dynamics of the road, ultimately aiming to improve their confidence and safety.

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