Research topics
Researchers
Khalil Khaska, PhD student
Dániel Miletics, Assistant professor
Background
The most important factors determining current road design parameters are the physical characteristics of vehicles, vehicle dynamics, traffic volume, physical and mental abilities of the driver, drainage, comfort and safety. With the spread of autonomous vehicles some of these determinants will change, others will not.
Research objective
The research topic focuses on how AVs will affect the way roads are designed and operated. The goal is to identify design parameters that need to be changed.
Researchers
Zsófia Magyari, PhD student
Csaba Koren, Professor emeritus
Background
Current visibility requirements at unsignalized intersections are based on speeds on the major road and on accepted gaps by human drivers entering or crossing from the minor road. Autonomous vehicles survey their environment with sensors which are different from the human vision in terms of identifying objects, estimating distances or velocities of other vehicles
Research objective
The aim of this research is to clarify the visibility requirements necessary for AVs at unsignalized crossings. The following four topics will be covered: 1. Requirements for AVs’ sensors (distance and speed measurement, angular resolution). 2. Identifying the required sight distances for AVs (level 4). 3. Testing the theoretical parameters. 4. Impacts of the improved parameters on traffic flow. Field measurements and traffic simulations will be used.
Researchers
Mohammad Fahad, PhD student
Richárd Nagy, Assistant lecturer
Background
Extending the lifetime of road pavement and service level sustainability over time depends on several factors. Our current design process takes into account, among other parameters, the number of unit axles passed, cross-sectional design, local weather conditions, pavement structure and properties of the road pavement materials. Pavement design will be significantly affected by the arrival of autonomous vehicles on the roads. The autonomous vehicles wheel path is expected to be much more accurate than that of human-driven vehicles resulting in a more concentrated load distribution.
Research objective
We will investigate how the axle lateral wandering with the appearance of autonomous vehicles (especially heavy vehicles) can be optimized as well as what implications there will be on pavement design.
Researchers
Othmane Boualam, PhD student
Attila Borsos, Associate professor
Background
Besides geometric design it is generally accepted that the presence of pedestrians and bicycles affect the capacity of roundabouts. The capacity calculation of urban roundabouts varies from country to country, some consider crossing pedestrians and/or bicycles, and some do not. The range of conflicting situations to be considered is also a question as they can come in several forms.
Research objective
The aim of this research topic is therefore 1) to update the already existing capacity calculation methods of roundabouts considering all road users and 2) to simulate how this improved method would be affected by AVs at various penetration rates.
Researchers
Gergely Szűcs, PhD student
Csaba Koren, Professor emeritus
Background
In urban areas, a number of various traffic calming devices are used, like chicanes, middle islands, curb extensions, speed humps etc. Some of them, especially speed humps are difficult to recognize for humans, and it can be assumed that it is difficult for AVs, as well.
Research objective
The goal of this research is to identify the information given by various arrangements of traffic calming devices to drivers and AVs. A further goal is to find appropriate measures to help AVs recognize these situations and identify the appropriate actions, including speed, at each device.
Researchers
Symbat Zhanguzhinova, PhD student
Dániel Miletics, Assistant professor
Emese Makó, Associate professor
Background
Autonomous vehicle technology has mainly focused on the detection and recognition of pedestrians and even though good progress has been made, many difficulties are yet to be overcome. According to some studies pedestrians and cyclists were found to appreciate messages and/or signals from the car indicating whether the car has detected them and what it intends to do. However, which exact messages need to be brought about and the method of communicating them are not yet settled and this requires further study.
Research objective
We will investigate how pedestrians are willing to cross the street at designated crossings when the driver of the approaching car is not communicating with the pedestrians (inattentive or showing uncommon driver behavior). An autonomous vehicle (or a dummy vehicle that pretends it is an AV) is going to inform the pedestrian about its intentions using a LED-surface on the car hood displaying different communication patterns. Pedestrians will be notified by lights when they are seen by the approaching autonomous vehicle. Several LED communicating patterns will be tested.
Researchers
Souvanthone Phetoudom, PhD student
Emese Makó, Associate professor
Background
Autonomous vehicles will prioritize the safety of pedestrians (and other vulnerable road users) over traffic flow. As a result, pedestrians would receive all of the benefits of autonomous vehicles and also might interrupt traffic flow, while the technology is rendered increasingly unattractive to drivers.
Research objective
We will investigate how the capacity of the different road categories is affected by the interactions of pedestrians and autonomous vehicles.