PUBLICATIONS

Connected Vehicle Deployment for Bicycles and Motorcycles to Enhance Vulnerable Transit User Safety

Jenkins, M., Negri. A., and Duggan, D.

Presented at the MassDOT Innovation & Tech Transfer Exchange, Worcester, MA (April 2018).

Connected vehicle and smart city infrastructure technologies offer significant potential to enhance shared roadway safety and mobility; however, vulnerable transportation users have traditionally been overlooked with respect to how they will be connected to these dedicated short-range communications (DSRC) networks. This presentation will discuss two concurrent USDOT FHWA funded efforts focused on the development of a solution to bring both motorcycles and bicycles onto these networks to both provide passive safety and mobility benefits, while also enabling active hazard detection and warning capabilities for these vulnerable users. This technology combines: (1) DSRC-based connected vehicle and infrastructure networking to continuously broadcast cyclist/rider state information to other connected entities in local proximity; (2) custom hazard detection algorithms that take advantage of these communications in addition to computer vision collision avoidance software; (3) intuitive and multimodal warning capabilities to alert cyclists/riders to detected hazards in a heads-up and eyes-on-the-road manner so as not to compound a hazardous situation; and (4) a custom hardware deployment designed for both motorcycles and bicycles that can be modularly deployed based on cost constraints and desired capabilities. Finally, in addition to an overview of this technology, we will present results from an initial and controlled pilot test to be conducted in the City of Las Vegas in early December that focuses on demonstration of capabilities in a connected environment.

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To learn more or request a copy of a paper (if available), contact Michael Jenkins.

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