Steven E. Underwood

Research on anticipatory route guidance

This paper describes the industry-relevant basic research focus of the Michigan IVHS Program in the last two years, with an emphasis on the linkage among the various projects related to anticipatory route guidance. Future direction of this research focus will also be discussed. The critical test for Advanced Traveler Information Systems (ATIS) is whether an individual driver with an appropriately equipped vehicle will get intelligent and safe advice on traffic diversion from his originally chosen route after a congestion-causing incident is detected and verified. Such advice should take into account not only current traffic conditions but also anticipated delay that may occur before the driver reaches his destination. Therefore, the Michigan IVHS research on traffic modeling and route optimization has focused on anticipatory route guidance. The anticipatory guidance system routes the vehicles by minimizing time-dependent link costs incurred by the driver. A novel dynamic programming approach has been used to take advantage of the time-dependent characteristics of the minimal travel-time solution to reduce computation load. The computation of routes is accomplished in the vehicle so that the driver will have complete and private control of not only the objective function, but also the constraints, in the computation for his optimum route. The information to be provided from the infrastructure is a set of anticipated link costs, updated periodically, to reflect current system demand and unexpected traffic incidents. Preliminary analysis has suggested that, to minimize communication load, under certain conditions, all link costs (not just exceptional ones) should be transmitted and appropriate data compression techniques should be used. Since diversion recommendations are generated within the vehicle, no matter where the vehicle happens to be, these recommendations may arise after the driver has passed the location for safe maneuver to divert. Human factors research has been conducted to assess the safe distance before the junction for recommended diversion that should be allowed for safe diversion. This safe distance would depend on the driver characteristics, as well as on the vehicle and road characteristics (including the lane location). The guidance system should be designed so that only safe diversion advice will be given to the driver. Extension of research on anticipatory route guidance includes 1) the projection of link costs through traffic modeling and simulation, 2) inclusion of multiple transportation modes, and 3) coordination with traffic light controls. The research strategy is to generate practical guidelines for ATIS product development, which can be upgraded incrementally as additional research results become available, and as component costs change.

A multiattribute analysis of goals for intelligent transportation system planning

Abstract Transportation planning in general, and planning for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) in particular, are notable both for multiple goals and for multiple constituencies. In response to this policy environment, multicriteria decision analysis has often been utilized to evaluate alternative transportation investments. This approach is extended here to assess stakeholder valuation of broad goals of an ITS planning process, the FAST-TRAC operational field test in Oakland County, a suburban region of metropolitan Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A. Representatives of stakeholder groups, ranging from emergency response firm employees to city managers to environmental groups, were interviewed. Using a modified Analytical Hierarchy Process, implicit preference weights for transportation planning goals were derived, and inter- and intragroup comparisons made. Overall, collision reduction emerged as a dominant goal accounting for nearly 35% of the overall valuation of all goals. In contrast, travel time reduction and energy/environmental impacts each accounted for about 20% of the total valuation. Stakeholder group affiliation appeared to affect transportation system preferences most strongly with regard to environmental preferences and reduction in commercial travel time; with regard to other goals, individual interests seemed to dominate those of the ostensible stakeholder group. In an environment such as that of ITS, in which policy goals are diverse and potentially conflicting, the methodologies presented here can aid in policy and system design by gauging the relative preferences of strongly interested individuals and groups. While the specific findings presented here are not generalizable to other regions, they underscore the relative importance of a range of ITS goals apart from simple reductions in travel times.

PUBLIC CHOICE IN TRANSIT ORGANIZATION AND FINANCE: THE STRUCTURE OF SUPPORT

The nature of support for public transit spending and organizational structure in a heavily automobile-dependent region is explored thorough structural equation modeling based on survey data from 500 randomly selected households in southeast Michigan. Alternative factors underlying support for transit taxation are tested, including congestion relief, environmental conservation, social service provision, perceived future need, and general attitude toward government spending. The study finds a surprisingly strong endorsement of transit as a necessary social service and concludes that in automobile-dependent areas, transit’s primary task when appealing for locally generated financing is to demonstrate its success in serving as the bottom-line guarantor of mobility for the young, elderly, disabled, unemployed, and poor.

Disruptive Innovation on the Path to Sustainable Mobility: Creating a Roadmap for Road Transportation in the United States

An ongoing study sponsored by the Graham Environmental Sustainability Institute at the University of Michigan takes the position that the transportation system should enable individuals to meet their basic access needs safely and in a manner consistent with human health and ecosystem sustainability within and between generations. This chapter describes the history of road transportation in the United States and the legacy of infrastructure investments in an automobile-oriented culture. This history is the foundation for applications of forthcoming robotics and communications technologies that support vehicle automation. A research team is engaged in drafting a roadmap that includes the adoption of automated vehicles as a critical element on a path to sustainable mobility in the United States. Some of the conjectures and apparent conclusions in this chapter are intended to help pose questions for our panel of experts.

Truck Automation: Testing and Trusting the Virtual Driver

This chapter addresses the testing and evaluation of the virtual truck driver. While the primary focus of the discussion is on verification and validation in model-based systems engineering it also touches upon testing for certification, establishing regulations, public investment, and research and development. A reference architecture for automated driving coordinates designs at the vehicle and system levels for increased interoperability among components and improved efficiency. A model-based systems engineering approach exploits automated vehicle systems domain models as a primary means of information exchange to help manage the complexity and provide analytical support for efficient architecting, design, verification, and validation. These models support the testing and evaluation process for functional safety design and certification. Finally, demonstration pilots, operational testing, and natural use testing, combined with system design artifacts, are critical to public and regulatory acceptance of the virtual driver. Although safety must be assured, the primary challenge is how to make such assurances without relying on a human driver and vouching for the virtual driver under all allowable driving situations and conditions. This chapter provides some ideas on how all of this might come together and help bring fully automated vehicles to the market.

Concept For Evaluation Of The Fast-Trac Program

This paper presents the initial concept for planning and executing a systematic evaluation of the Ali-Scout route guidance system which is to be deployed as the centerpiece of the FAST-TRAC operational field test in Oakland County, Michigan. The paper conveys the evaluation scope in terms of a set of provisional objectives and several suggested evaluation research approaches.

Structured participation in technology assessment: the policy exercise

ABSTRACT This paper presents a new hybrid method with potential benefits for technology assessment. The Policy Exercise is a scenario development and assessment procedure that brings together stakeholders, policy experts, and institutional experts to synthesize and explore collective knowledge for policy making. The core of the method is a workshop where participants develop scenarios to forecast technological, environmental, and institutional events and to assess their potential impacts. This paper presents the concept for the Policy Exercise, describes the current research on methodological developments, and considers the implementation and possible benefits in the context of technology assessment.

Simulating an Integrated Business Environment that Supports Systems Integration

This paper describes the design and application of a business simulation to help train employees about the new business model and culture that for an automotive supplier company that designs connected vehicle and other advanced electronic products for the automotive industry. The simulation, called SIM-i-TRI, is a three to four day collaborative learning activity that simulates the executive, administrative, engineering, manufacturing, and marketing functions in three divisions of a manufacturer that supplies parts and systems to customers in industries similar to the automotive industry. It was originally designed to support the new employee orientation at the Tier 1 supplier and to provide the participants a safe environment to practice the lessons from the orientation. The simulation has been used several times a month in the US, England, and Germany for over four years. It is now being used by Ann Arbor SPARK, a non-profit organization, is the driving force in establishing the Ann Arbor region as a destination for business expansion, retention, and location by identifying and meeting the needs of business at every stage, from startups to large organizations. The University of Michigan is currently developing a computer network adaptation of the simulation for application in remote locations. The intent is to use the simulation as a capstone exercise in the business course for engineers at UM Dearborn. This type of simulation is essential to provide students with a realistic environment where they can learn through action and practice the social and business management skills from the training.

Integrated Assessment for Automated Driving Systems in the United States

This roadmap to sustainable automotive transportation takes a cyber-physical systems approach to exploring disruptive innovation in the pursuit of clean, safe, and efficient door-to-door mobility in the United States. This integrated assessment addresses the results to an expert forecast on vehicle automation as part of a more far-reaching transformation to connected, automated, and electric vehicles. The expert panel used the Delphi survey method to forecast the market introduction dates, general growth rates, and policy issues of automated shuttle, freeway, urban, and taxi systems over the course of the next few decades. The results are summarized in a scenario for the growth of vehicle automation in the context of persistent road network, land use, population, climate, and technology trends.

Approaches to IVHS evaluation: Advanced travelers information systems and advanced traffic management systems

The current methodological approaches for evaluating intelligent vehicle highway systems (IVHS) are provided. The points of departure are the emerging methodological challenges coming from recent operational tests and evaluation activities. An attempt is made to move beyond existing methods to discuss the challenges facing IVHS evaluation.