Formalizing Human-Machine Communication in the Context of Autonomous Vehicles

While driving behavior is generally governed by the nature and driving objectives of the driver, there are many situations (typically in crowded traffic conditions) where tacit communication between the drivers and pedestrians govern the overall driving behavior, significantly enhancing driving safety. The project will intend to study and formalize the communication pattern between human drivers and pedestrians, as also investigate effective communication mechanisms between an autonomous vehicle and humans. Current autonomous vehicles engage in decision making that is primarily driven by on-board or external sensory information, and do not explicitly consider communication with pedestrians. The project will incorporate the formalized communications from this study into decision making algorithms of an autonomous vehicle. Use of the results of this study would lead to improved safety of both autonomous vehicles as well as conventional vehicles.

Language

  • English

Project

  • Status: Active
  • Funding: $326218
  • Contract Numbers:

    69A3551747115

  • Sponsor Organizations:

    Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

    University Transportation Centers Program
    Department of Transportation
    Washington, DC  United States  20590
  • Managing Organizations:

    Safety through Disruption University Transportation Center (Safe-D)

    Virginia Tech Transportation Institute
    Blacksburg, VA  United States  24060
  • Project Managers:

    Harwood, Leslie

  • Performing Organizations:

    Texas A&M Transportation Institute

    Texas A&M University System
    3135 TAMU
    College Station, TX  United States  77843-3135

    Virginia Tech Transportation Institute

    3500 Transportation Research Plaza
    Blacksburg, Virginia  United States  24061
  • Principal Investigators:

    Gopalswamy, Swaminathan

  • Start Date: 20170901
  • Expected Completion Date: 20190531
  • Actual Completion Date: 0
  • USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers Program

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01637956
  • Record Type: Research project
  • Source Agency: Safety through Disruption University Transportation Center (Safe-D)
  • Contract Numbers: 69A3551747115
  • Files: UTC, RIP
  • Created Date: Jun 14 2017 2:58PM