Autonomous driving and possible outcome for bicyclists : Technology which helps to identify hazards

Cycling is an increasingly popular alternative transport mode, but there were far too many cycling fatalities over the past decade (European Transport Safety Council 2015). 138,400 pedestrians & cyclists were killed in EU in the space of time from 2001 to 2013. According to recent safety analysis data from ETSC (2015) bicyclists face a high accident risk. Vulnerable road users account for 29% of all road deaths across EU (pedestrians: 21%, cyclists: 8%). According to a TRL report (Knowles et al 2008) more than a quarter of all cycling deaths in 2005-07 happened when a vehicle ran into the rear of a bike. This occurred to more than one-third in rural areas and to 40% in collisions that took place away from junctions. According to the same report it seemed that one cause for cyclists´ accidents was that car drivers as well as cyclists “failed to look properly” as was the interpretation in the TRL report. Therefore, it is necessary to find out how traffic safety for bicyclists can be enhanced – especially in cities with dense traffic and a lot of interactions (see also Sanders 2015). In order to learn more about possible risks for riders especially considering the automation level of cars at high automation level 5 the author of this abstract tried to match outcomes of different ongoing projects to find out, where bicyclists direct their visual attention on their ways within a naturalistic riding study in Vienna and the city of Salzburg as well as understand if other road users, especially car drivers estimate the needs of cyclists regarding safety and comfort. The latter will be derived from research about automation level 5 and the thus estimated results on traffic in general and especially on unprotected road users

Analysis of conflict situations between elderly pedestrians and vehicles

The proportion of older road users is increasing because of demographic change (in the group 65+ from current 18% to about 24% by 2030). The mobility needs of people 65+ often differ from those of younger people. Seniors (65+) are already more involved in fatal accidents than younger road users. According to the age development, the senior share of road deaths in the EU of today is increasing nearly one-fifth to one-third. From the in-depth analysis of accidents generic simulation models were developed. Attention has been paid both to psycho-physical characteristics as well as on the social and physical environment and their specifics in conjunction with seniors. By simulating the defined scenarios and varying the defined relevant parameters, accident influencing factors were examined as a basis for avoidance. In addition, the parameters were varied to show the influence from the vehicle, the pedestrian and the infrastructure to avoid the accident or to characterize the conditions for which the accident is inevitable

Nachhaltige Mobilität aus sozioökonomischer Perspektive – Diskussionspapier der Arbeitsgruppe "Sozioökonomische Aspekte" der ÖAW-Kommission "Nachhaltige Mobilität" (ITA-manu:script 15-02)

Um nachhaltiges individuelles Verkehrsverhalten zu erreichen, ist es wesentlich, Probleme im aktuellen Verkehrssystem, die ein Hemmnis für nachhaltige Mobilität darstellen, zu analysieren, um entsprechende technische und organisatorische Lösungen sowie begleitende gesellschaftspolitische Maßnahmen (etwa auch zur Förderung sozialer Innovationen) vorschlagen zu können. Das vorliegende Diskussionspapier versucht dies auf folgende Weise zu erreichen:Es werden zunächst die zukünftigen Entwicklungen im Verkehrssektor und Mobilitätsbereich abgeschätzt, wobei verschiedene Facetten des Mobilitätsbedürfnisses, Fragen der Raumordnung, neue Verkehrs- und Mobilitätskonzepte und Alternativen zu gegenwärtigen Formen von Mobilität und Verkehr eine Rolle spielen. Ausgehend von der Erörterung jener Faktoren, die Mobilitätsentscheidungen und Verkehrsmittelwahl beeinflussen oder prägen und welchen Einfluss diese auf dem Weg zu nachhaltiger Mobilität und zu nachhaltigem Verkehr haben, werden anschließend Umsetzungsfragen erörtert und sowohl technologische Möglichkeiten und Wege zur Verhaltens- und Lebensstiländerung, als auch die gesellschaftlichen Kräfte, die dabei eine Rolle spielen, sowie politisch-rechtliche Rahmenbedingungen und wirtschaftliche Fragen betrachtet. Abschließend werden Lösungsempfehlungen aus dem hier gewählten Zugang und den absehbaren Trends formuliert