Driving automation: Learning from aviation about design philosophies

Full vehicle automation is predicted to be on British roads by 2030 (Walker et al., 2001). However, experience in aviation gives us some cause for concern for the 'drive-by-wire' car (Stanton and Marsden, 1996). Two different philosophies have emerged in aviation for dealing with the human factor: hard vs. soft automation, depending on whether the computer or the pilot has ultimate authority (Hughes and Dornheim, 1995). This paper speculates whether hard or soft automation provides the best solution for road vehicles, and considers an alternative design philosophy in vehicles of the future based on coordination and cooperation

Accident prediction using machine learning:analyzing weather conditions, and model performance

Abstract. The primary focus of this study was to investigate the impact of weather and road conditions on the severity of accidents and to determine the feasibility of machine learning models in accurately predicting the likelihood of such incidents. The research was centered on two key research questions. Firstly, the study examined the influence of weather and road conditions on accident severity and identified the most related factors contributing to accidents. We utilized an open-source accident dataset, which was preprocessed using techniques like variable selection, missing data elimination, and data balancing through the Synthetic Minority Over-sampling Technique (SMOTE). Chi-square statistical analysis was performed, suggesting that all weather-related variables are more or less associated with the severity of accidents. Visibility and temperature were found to be the most critical factors affecting the severity of road accidents. Hence, appropriate measures such as implementing effective fog dispersal systems, heatwave alerts, or improved road maintenance during extreme temperatures could help reduce accident severity. Secondly, the research evaluated the ability of machine learning models including decision trees, random forests, naive bayes, extreme gradient boost, and neural networks to predict accident likelihood. The models’ performance was gauged using metrics like accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score. The Random Forest model emerged as the most reliable and accurate model for predicting accidents, with an overall accuracy of 98.53%. The Decision Tree model also showed high overall accuracy (95.33%), indicating its reliability. However, the Naive Bayes model showed the lowest accuracy (63.31%) and was deemed less reliable in this context. It is concluded that machine learning models can be effectively used to predict the likelihood of accidents, with models like Random Forest and Decision Tree proving the most effective. However, the effectiveness of each model may vary depending on the dataset and context, necessitating further testing and validation for real-world implementation. These findings not only provide insight into the factors affecting accident severity but also open a promising avenue in employing machine learning techniques for proactive accident prediction and mitigation. Future studies can aim to refine the models further and potentially integrate them into traffic management systems to enhance road safety

Interpretable Machine Learning을 활용한 구간단속시스템 설치에 따른 인명피해사고 감소 효과 연구

학위논문 (박사) -- 서울대학교 대학원 : 공과대학 건설환경공학부, 2020. 8. 김동규.In this study, a prediction model for casualty crash occurrence was developed considering whether to install SSES and the effect of SSES installation was quantified by dividing it into direct and indirect effects through the analysis of mediation effect. Also, it was recommended what needs to be considered in selecting the candidate sites for SSES installation. For this, crash prediction model was developed by using the machine learning for binary classification based on whether or not casualty crash occurred and the effects of SSES installation were analyzed based on crashes and speed-related variables. Especially, the IML methodology was applied that considered the predictive performance as well as the interpretability of the forecast results as important. When developing the IML which consisted of black-box and interpretable model, KNN, RF, and SVM were reviewed as black-box model, and DT and BLR were reviewed as interpretable model. In the model development, the hyper-parameters that could be set in each methodology were optimized through k-fold cross validation. The SVM with a polynomial kernel trick was selected as black-box model and the BLR was selected as interpretable model to predict the probability of casualty crash occurrence. For the developed IML model, the evaluation was conducted through comparison with the typical BLR from the perspective of the PDR framework. The evaluation confirmed that the results of the IML were more excellent than the typical BLR in terms of predictive accuracy, descriptive accuracy, and relevancy from a human in the loop. Using the result of IML's model development, the effect on SSES installation were quantified based on the probability equation of casualty crash occurrence. The equation is the logistic function that consists of SSES, SOR, SV, TVL, HVR, and CR. The result of analysis confirmed that the SSES installation reduced the probability of casualty crash occurrence by about 28%. In addition, the analysis of mediation effects on the variables affected by installing SSES was conducted to quantify the direct and indirect effects on the probability of reducing the casualty crashes caused by the SSES installation. The proportion of indirect effects through reducing the ratio of exceeding the speed limit (SOR) was about 30% and the proportion of indirect effects through reduction of speed variance (SV) was not statistically significant at the 95% confidence level. Finally, the probability equation of casualty crash occurrence developed in this study was applied to the sections of Yeongdong Expressway to compare the crash risk section with the actual crash data to examine the applicability of the development model. The analysis result verified that the equation was reasonable. Therefore, it may be considered to select dangerous sites based on casualty crash and speeding firstly, and then to install SSES at the section where traffic volume (TVL), heavy vehicle ratio (HVR), and curve ratio (CR) are higher than the other sections.본 연구에서는 구간단속시스템(Section Speed Enforcement System, SSES) 설치 효과를 정량화하기 위해 인명피해사고 예측모형을 개발하고, 매개효과 분석을 통해 SSES 설치에 대한 직접효과와 간접효과를 구분하여 정량화하였다. 또한, 개발한 예측모형에 대한 고속도로에서의 적용 가능성을 검토하고, SSES 설치 대상지 선정 시 고려해야할 사항을 제안하였다. 모형 개발에는 인명피해사고 발생 여부를 종속변수로 하는 이진분류형 기계학습을 활용하였으며, 기계학습 중에서는 모형의 예측 성능과 더불어 예측 결과에 대한 해석력을 중요하게 고려하는 인터프리터블 머신 러닝(Interpretable Machine Learning, IML) 방법론을 적용하였다. IML은 블랙박스 모델과 인터프리터블 모델로 구성되며, 본 연구에서는 블랙박스 모델로 KNN, RF 및 SVM을, 인터프리터블 모델로 DT와 BLR을 검토하였다. 모형 개발 시에는 각 기법에서 튜닝이 가능한 하이퍼 파라미터에 대하여 교차검증 과정을 거쳐 최적화하였다. 블랙박스 모델은 폴리노미얼 커널 트릭을 활용한 SVM을, 인터프리터블 모델은 BLR을 적용하여 인명피해사고 발생 확률을 예측하는 모형을 개발하였다. 개발된 IML 모델에 대해서는 PDR(Predictive accuracy, Descriptive accuracy and Relevancy) 프레임워크 관점에서 (typical) BLR 모델과 비교 평가를 진행하였다. 평가 결과 예측 정확도, 해석 정확도 및 인간의 이해관점에서의 적합성 등에서 모두 IML 모델이 우수함을 확인하였다. 또한, 본 연구에서 개발된 IML 모델 기반의 인명피해사고 발생 확률식은 SSES, SOR, SV, TVL, HVR 및 CR의 독립변수로 구성되었으며, 이 확률식을 기반으로 SSES 설치에 대한 효과를 정량화하였다. 정량화 분석 결과, SSES 설치로 인해 약 28% 정도의 인명피해사고 발생 확률이 감소함을 확인할 수 있었다. 또한, 모형 개발에 활용된 변수 중 SSES 설치로 인해 영향을 받는 변수들(SOR 및 SV)에 대한 매개효과 분석을 통해 SSES 설치로 인한 인명피해사고 감소 확률을 직접효과와 간접효과를 구분하여 제시하였다. 분석 결과, SSES와 제한속도 초과비율(SOR)의 관계에서 있어서는 약 30%가 간접효과이고, SSES와 속도분산(SV)의 관계에 있어서는 매개효과가 통계적으로 유의하지 않음을 확인할 수 있었다. 마지막으로 영동고속도로를 대상으로 인명피해사고 발생 확률식 기반의 예측 위험구간과 실제 인명사고 다발 구간에 대한 비교 분석을 통해 연구 결과의 활용 가능성을 확인하였다. 또한, SSES 설치 대상지 선정 시에는 사고 및 속도 분석을 통한 위험구간을 선별한 후 교통량(TVL)이 많은 곳, 통과차량 중 중차량 비율(HVR)이 높은 곳 및 구간 내 곡선비율(CR)이 높은 곳을 우선적으로 검토하는 것을 제안하였다.1. Introduction 1 1.1. Background of research 1 1.2. Objective of research 4 1.3. Research Flow 6 2. Literature Review 11 2.1. Research related to SSES 11 2.1.1. Effectiveness of SSES 11 2.1.2. Installation criteria of SSES 15 2.2. Machine learning about transportation 17 2.2.1. Machine learning algorithm 17 2.2.2. Machine learning algorithm about transportation 19 2.3. Crash prediction model 23 2.3.1. Frequency of crashes 23 2.3.2. Severity of crash 26 2.4. Interpretable Machine Learning (IML) 31 2.4.1. Introduction 31 2.4.2. Application of IML 33 3. Model Specification 37 3.1. Analysis of SSES effectiveness 37 3.1.1. Crashes analysis 37 3.1.2. Speed analysis 39 3.2. Data collection & pre-analysis 40 3.2.1. Data collection 40 3.2.2. Basic statistics of variables 42 3.3. Response variable selection 50 3.4. Model selection 52 3.4.1. Binary classification 52 3.4.2. Accuracy vs. Interpretability 53 3.4.3. Overview of IML 54 3.4.4. Process of model specification 57 4. Model development 59 4.1. Black-box and interpretable model 59 4.1.1. Consists of IML 59 4.1.2. Black-box model 60 4.1.3. Interpretable model 68 4.2. Model development 72 4.2.1. Procedure 72 4.2.2. Measures of effectiveness 74 4.2.3. K-fold cross validation 76 4.3. Result of model development 78 4.3.1. Result of black-box model 78 4.3.2. Result of interpretable model 85 5. Evaluation & Application 91 5.1. Evaluation 91 5.1.1. The PDR framework for IML 91 5.1.2. Predictive accuracy 93 5.1.3. Descriptive accuracy 94 5.1.4. Relevancy 99 5.2. Impact of Casualty Crash Reduction 102 5.2.1. Quantification of the effectiveness 102 5.2.2. Mediation effect analysis 106 5.3. Application for the Korean expressway 118 6. Conclusion 121 6.1. Summary and Findings 121 6.2. Further Research 125Docto

Short-term crash risk prediction considering proactive, reactive, and driver behavior factors

Providing a safe and efficient transportation system is the primary goal of transportation engineering and planning. Highway crashes are among the most significant challenges to achieving this goal. They result in significant societal toll reflected in numerous fatalities, personal injuries, property damage, and traffic congestion. To that end, much attention has been given to predictive models of crash occurrence and severity. Most of these models are reactive: they use the data about crashes that have occurred in the past to identify the significant crash factors, crash hot-spots and crash-prone roadway locations, analyze and select the most effective countermeasures for reducing the number and severity of crashes. More recently, the advancements have been made in developing proactive crash risk models to assess short-term crash risks in near-real time. Such models could be applied as part of traffic management strategies to prevent and mitigate the crashes. The driver behavior is found to be the leading cause of highway crashes. Nevertheless, due to data unavailability, limited studies have explored and quantified the role of driver behavior in crashes. The Strategic Highway Research Program Naturalistic Driving Study (SHRP 2 NDS) offers an unprecedented opportunity to perform an in-depth analysis of the impacts of driver behavior on crashes events. The research presented in this dissertation is divided into three parts, corresponding to the research objectives. The first part investigates the application of advanced data modeling methods for proactive crash risk analysis. Several proactive models for segment level crash risk and severity assessment are developed and tested, considering the proactive data available to most transportation agencies in real time at a regional network scale. The data include roadway geometry characteristics, traffic flow characteristics, and weather condition data. The analysis methods include Random-effect Bayesian Logistics Regression, Random Forest, Gradient Boosting Machine, K-Nearest Neighbor, Gaussian Naive Bayes (GNB), and Multi-layer Feedforward Deep Neural Network (MLFDNN). The random oversampling technique is applied to deal with the problem of data imbalance associated with the injury severity analysis. The model training and testing are completed using a dataset containing records of 10,155 crashes that occurred on two interstate highways in New Jersey over a period of two years. The second part of the study analyzes the potential improvement in the prediction abilities of the proposed models by adding reactive data (such as vehicle characteristics and driver characteristics) to the analysis. Commonly, the reactive data is only available (known) after the crash occurs. In the proposed research, the crash analysis is performed by classifying crashes in multiple groupings (instead of a single group), constructed based on the age of drivers and vehicles to account for the impact of reactive data on driver injury severity outcomes. The results of the second part of the study show that while the simultaneous use of reactive and proactive data can improve the prediction performance of the models, the absolute crash probability values must be further improved for operational crash risk prediction. To this end, in the third part of the study, the Naturalistic Driving Study data is used to calibrate the crash risk models, including the driver behavior risk factors. The findings show significant improvement in crash prediction accuracy with the inclusion of driver behavior risk factors, which confirms the driver behavior to be the most critical risk factor affecting the crash likelihood and the associated injury severity

Can Machine Learning beat Physics at Modeling Car Crashes?

This study aimed to look at a traditional method used for measuring the severity and principle direction of force of a car crash and see if it could be improved on using machine learning models. The data used was publicly available from the NHTSA database and included descriptions of the vehicle, test and sensors as well as the accelerometer data over the period of the crashes. The models built were SVM classifiers and multinomial regression models. Although the SVM and Regression models were built successfully and gave higher levels of accuracy than the momentum models in terms of the severity, the traditional momentum model’s severity results were not statistically significant and it was therefore impossible to say the SVM classifier was an improvement using the same data. The principle direction of force was improved on using both a multi-level SVM classifier and a multinomial regression and the results were statistically significant

Dynamic Dilemma Zone Protection System: A Smart Machine Learning Based Approach to Countermeasure Drivers\u27s Yellow Light Dilemma

Drivers’ indecisions within the dilemma zone (DZ) during the yellow interval is a major safety concern of a roadway network. The present study develops a systematic framework of a machine learning (ML) based dynamic dilemma zone protection (DZP) system to protect drivers from potential intersection crashes due to such indecisions. For this, the present study first develops effective methods of quantifying DZ using important site-specific characteristics of signalized intersections. By this method, high-risk intersections in terms of DZ crashes could be identified using readily available intersection site-specific characteristics. Afterward, the present study develops an innovative framework for predicting driver behavior under varying DZ conditions using ML methods. The framework utilizes multiple ML techniques to process vehicle attribute data (e.g., speed, location, and time-of-arrival) collected at the onset of the yellow indication, and eventually predict drivers’ stop-or-go decisions based on the data. The DZP system discussed in the present study has two major components that work with synergy to ensure the total safety of a DZ affected vehicle: dynamic green extension (DGE), and dynamic green protection (DRP) system. Based on the continuous vehicle tracking data, the DGE system uninterruptedly monitors vehicle within the DZ and xiv predict vehicles that may face the decision dilemma if there is a sudden transition from green signal to yellow. After detecting such vehicles, the DGE system provides an exact amount of extended green time so that the detected vehicles could safely clear the intersection without any hesitation. There could be some vehicles that may end up running the red light due to various limitations. In this case, the DRP system provides an extended amount of all-red extensions after predicting potential red light running vehicles to nullify the likelihood of any intersection crashes. After the development, the DZP system is then implemented in several selected intersections in Alabama. Performance assessments are accomplished for the to see the safety and operation impact of the DZP system in implemented sites. The comprehensive assessment of the DGE system is accomplished with ten performance measures, which include percent green arrivals, percent yellow arrivals, percent red arrivals, dilemma zone length, and red-light running vehicles before and after the system implementation. Results show that the DGE system could significantly improve the overall intersection safety and efficiency. A short-term study on performance assessment of DRP systems shows that such a driver behavior prediction method could effectively predict 100% red-light-runners as well as efficiently provide the required amount of clearance time without hampering overall intersection efficiency. Based on the outcomes from the performance assessments of the DGE and DRP systems, it is safe to say the machine learning based DZP system would be able to promote intersection safety by protecting the dilemma zone impacted vehicles from potential intersection crashes as well as enhance the operational performance of intersections by intelligently allocate exact right-of-way to the vehicles and reducing the overall delays