1. Overview/Review of AV/Pedestrian Interactions
Justin M. Owens, Ph.D.
Senior Research Associate
Center for Vulnerable Road User Safety
Virginia Tech Transportation Institute
TRB Workshop ANF10(3)
Pedestrian and Autonomous Vehicle Interactions Subcommittee

2. Advancing Transportation Through Innovation
Introduction
Brief review of relevant automation topics to generate discussion
Definitions, levels of automation
NHTSA guidance: Highly Automated Vehicles
Technology considerations
Human factors/behavioral considerations
Infrastructure considerations
Legal/Ethical considerations
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Advancing Transportation Through Innovation

3. NHTSA Definition of Automation
An automated vehicle system is a combination of hardware and software (both remote and on-board) that performs a driving function, with or without a human actively monitoring the driving environment. (NHTSA, 2016, pg 10)
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Advancing Transportation Through Innovation

4. Highly Automated Vehicles (HAVs)
NHTSA term HAV (Highly Automated Vehicle)
Distinction: Who is primarily responsible for monitoring the driving environment?
HAVs: SAE Levels 3-5 vehicles with automated systems that are responsible for monitoring the driving environment.
More precise than “automated” or “autonomous”
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Advancing Transportation Through Innovation

5. SAE Levels of Automation (From NHTSA 2016)
Level 0: Human driver does everything
Level 1: An automated system on the vehicle can sometimes assist the human driver to conduct some parts of the driving task
Level 2: An automated system on the vehicle can actually conduct some parts of the driving task, while the human continues to monitor the driving environment and performs the rest of the driving task
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Advancing Transportation Through Innovation

6. Levels of Automation - HAVs
Level 3: Automated system can both actually conduct some parts of the driving task and monitor the driving environment in some instances, but the human driver must be ready to take back control when the automated system requests
Level 4: Automated system can conduct the driving task and monitor the driving environment, and the human need not take back control, but the automated system can operate only in certain environments and under certain conditions
Level 5: Automated system can perform all driving tasks, under all conditions that a human driver could perform them
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Advancing Transportation Through Innovation

7. NHTSA Guidance Regarding AVs & Pedestrians
“[M]anufacturers and other entities should consider how HAVs will signal intentions to the environment around the vehicle, including pedestrians, bicyclists, and other vehicles…
[as well as] regarding the HAV’s state of operation relevant to the circumstance (e.g., whether the HAV system identified a pedestrian at an intersection and is yielding). “ NHTSA 2016, pg 22
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Advancing Transportation Through Innovation

8. Model State-Level Guidance
“Other stakeholders should be consulted as appropriate, such as transportation research centers located in the State, the vehicle manufacturing industry, and groups representing pedestrians, bicyclists, consumers and other interested parties.” (pg 40)
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Advancing Transportation Through Innovation

9. Technology Considerations
Detection/Recognition
How to detect pedestrians as pedestrians?
Prediction
Once detected, how to determine intent?
Timing issues
How to predict conflict or safe travel btw vehicle and pedestrians once intent is determined?
Model pedestrian movement?
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Advancing Transportation Through Innovation

10. Advancing Transportation Through Innovation
And of course…
Crowds make this all more difficult!
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Advancing Transportation Through Innovation

11. HF & Behavioral Considerations
How to inform vehicle driver/occupant(s) AND pedestrians/cyclists of vehicle intention?
How to communicate with a variety of pedestrians in a crowded situation
How to accommodate peds with disabilities?
How to deal with unexpected behavior (e.g. pedestrian suddenly appearing)
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Advancing Transportation Through Innovation

12. Evolving Current Behavior
How to simulate or move beyond current “give & take” interactions between drivers & peds?
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Advancing Transportation Through Innovation

13. Infrastructure Considerations
Intersections of the future
Do crosswalks continue to exist?
What about walk signals?
Integration with V2I?
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Advancing Transportation Through Innovation

14. Legal/Ethical Considerations
Choice among possible conflicts
One ped vs. group
Old vs. young, etc.
Driver vs. pedestrian
Etc. ? ?
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Advancing Transportation Through Innovation

15. Legal/Ethical Considerations
When can an AV ethically break the law?
Crossing a double-yellow to avoid a crash (NHTSA, 2016, pg 26)
Who is liable in a crash?
Vehicle owner? Manufacturer? Programmer?
NHTSA (2016) pg 45
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Advancing Transportation Through Innovation

16. Advancing Transportation Through Innovation
Summary
Numerous & significant issues to be addressed over the coming years & decades
NHTSA has laid out a roadmap & guidelines
Mentions but does not focus on peds
More research and communication among researchers investigating all aspects of AV/Ped/Bike interactions is needed
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Advancing Transportation Through Innovation

17. Advancing Transportation Through Innovation
AVS 2017
Breakout Session: AVs & Vulnerable Road User
2016 Breakout Topics:
Ensuring safe interactions (Habibovic)
HF of current ped/vehicle interactions (Owens)
V2I, apps, modifying signal timing (Head)
IDIADA Prospect European Project (Aparicio)
Looking for people interested in 2017!
Contact me and/or Laura Sandt
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Advancing Transportation Through Innovation

18. Name

19. Vehicle Performance Guideline Framework
12/6/2018
Advancing Transportation Through Innovation