Human Factors and Safety
- Group summary: We are a group of psychologists, ergonomists/human factors experts, engineers, computer scientists/computer vision experts, and industrial designers. Our mission is to study User Behaviour and Interactions with “new technologies” in transport.
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Details
We conduct research on:
• Human factors of highly automated driving (AVs),
• Visual attention, distraction, and driver state monitoring,
• Road safety,
• Advanced driver assistance systems,
• Human factors of highly automated driving,
• Human Machine Interface (HMI),
• Interactions of other road users with AVs,
• Applied behavioural modelling,
• User comfort in AVs, and
• Computer vision and machine learning for human interactions with AVs.
Our capabilities include:
• Design of methodologies for studying user behaviour (field operational tests, naturalistic driving studies, questionnaires, focus groups, laboratory studies)
• Design of Human-in-the-loop-simulation experiments
• Software development (driving simulator and related equipment).
Our staff and PhD students
Please click here for more information about our staff and click here for information on our PhD students.
Current Research Projects
- High-fidelity, high-generalisation models of human behaviour
- Hi-Drive
- e-SAFE (Equity, Social determinants, Anti-social behaviour, Future E-mobility)
- Autistic Children Matter
For more information about our current and previous projects, please click here.
Research degrees
We have opportunities for prospective postgraduate researchers. Example projects and funding opportunities can be found in our PhD directory. Previous topics have included:
• Transitions out of highly automated vehicles
• Measuring driver/occupant state in automated vehicles
• Fatigue in police officers
• Speed management strategies
• Mental models of ecoDriving
• Emotion and driving
• Attention management
• Occupant comfort in automated vehicles
• Motion cueing in driving simulators.
In addition to the research study associated with a specific project, prospective students can also suggest their own topic. In this case, we ask prospective students to contact possible supervisors for an informal discussion, before submitting a research proposal or get in touch with Professor Natasha Merat.
Collaborations & Partnerships
The Human Factors and Safety group delivers bespoke solutions to complex sector challenges, based on highly accurate research conducted from within the Virtuocity Simulator suite. We regularly work with academic (e.g., Delft University of Technology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Keio University, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, Tsinghua University, and Beijing Jiaotong University), industry (e.g., Toyota, Volkswagen, Jaguar, Land Rover, Volvo, BMW, Nissan, Ford, Audi, smart eye, ARUP, WAYMO, Google, seeing machines, AECOM, Bosch) and policy (e.g., Leeds City Council, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Department for Transport, National Highway) partners.
As a group, we:
• Provide evidence to support regulatory changes to improve transport safety standards
• Understand how user behaviour is impacted under certain conditions to improve transport safety
• Bring human-centric development into transport systems to enable the swift development and integration of new transportation methods
• Provide an opportunity to explore scenarios in conditions not possible in the real world
• Support the development of current and new technologies/ new infrastructure
Contact Us
Email: Prof. Natasha Merat OBE