About this Research Topic
Human Factors Engineering (HFE) research investigates the role of psychology, information processing, perception, decision making, capacity, and limitations of humans when interacting with engineering systems. The goal is to design and develop systems that are convenient and intuitive to use and operate by the humans. Traditionally, HFE specific to transportation engineering has focused on driver behaviour. Topics studied include vision and information processing in the context of driving; driver’s adaptation, education, licensing and regulation; crash types, causes, and countermeasures; driver’s physical state and decision making in the presence of alcohol, drug, and fatigue effects; and forensics. However, there is a strong need to explore emerging issues arising due to the presence of connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) on the road.
Ongoing advances in the connectivity and automation of vehicles have resulted in rethinking HFE related to human-vehicle interactions both inside and outside of the vehicles. For instance, pedestrians and cyclists are used to interacting with the drivers using silent eye-contact when crossing busy urban roads. In the absence of a driver, designing new technologies and solutions for connected and automated vehicle (CAV) and pedestrian/cyclist interaction is necessary. Similarly, with the partial automation of the vehicle (level 3-4), the issue of taking successful and timely control of the vehicle becomes profound. CAVs may necessitate changes to how the interior of a vehicle is designed in order to accommodate new human activities e.g. napping or working while being driven. CAV operations in a mixed traffic area is another important dimension where HFE could play an important role in ensuring the optimal traffic safety and operations.
We are looking for original manuscripts that are contributing towards methodologies, design, analysis, and applications in the following or similar areas:
- CAV-vulnerable road user (VRUs) and CAV-Human driven vehicle (HDV) interactions at various Market Penetration Rates (MPRs); their effects on traffic safety, characteristics, control, and demand; and design of associated new solutions/systems.
- Driver behaviour and assistance technologies in partial automation and vehicle connectivity based applications e.g. en-route guidance systems, cooperative vehicles, and platooning.
- Application of Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning in HFE associated with CAVs.
- CAVs, HFE, and geometric design of roads, highways, and sidewalks.
- Design of experiments and use of emerging tools (e.g. VR, EEG, and GSR) to study driver, passenger, and VRU behaviour for improved HFE in CAVs.
Keywords: Connected and automated vehicles, human factors, mixed traffic flow, CAV interaction, vehicle control, geometric design
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.