Current projects
Sponsor: BMVI, mFUND
Contacts: Dr. Madlen Ringhand, Dipl. Psych. Juliane Anke
Duration: June 2021 - June 2022
With the legislation allowing the use of light electric vehicles in Germany, another means of transport is now present in the traffic environment - the e-scooter. So far, little differentiated data is available on the use of these vehicles. In particular, the choice of routes and thus possible points of conflict with bicycle traffic are relevant in terms of urban and traffic planning. In contrast, access to the e-scooter use data via operators is still severely restricted.
The core objective of the "ScoNe" project is a feasibility analysis of the usability and usefulness of data that are available or easily obtainable from e-scooter operator systems (typically start and end points of routes) in order to map the routes traveled by the users with sufficient accuracy.
Both the accessibility, usability of the data and their quality for routing will be examined. Furthermore, exemplary encounter and conflict points with bicycle traffic will be derived and the usefulness of the data will be evaluated by comparing it with actually driven routes.
For further information please visit: Projektseite ScoNe
Contact: Madlen Ringhand
Sponsor: ERA-NET Cofund Urban Accessibility and Connectivity (ENUAC), BMBF
Project Partners: Chalmers University of Technology, City of Gothenburg, City of Munich, City of Stockholm, Lindholmen Science Park (CLOSER), RISE Research Institutes of Sweden AB, SINTEF AS, The Norwegian Public Roads Administration (NPRA), University of Westminster
Contact: Dr. Sven-Thomas Graupner, Dr. Jens Schade
Duration: April 2021 – March 2024
The overall objective of the GeoSence project is to design, test and evaluate geofencing concepts and solutions for specific applications that can contribute to improvements in traffic flow, safety and air quality in cities. Geofences are virtual (statically or dynamically defined) geographical boundaries that can be used to automatically detect when mobile objects (such as vehicles, people, containers, etc.) enter or leave these areas. GeoSence is a unique European collaboration on geofencing for traffic management and planning. In total, GeoSence will involve 10 project partners, 8 support partners and a broad partner network.
In order to achieve the project goals, experiences from previous and ongoing geofencing initiatives will be evaluated. Furthermore, new ways for the successful deploying of geofencing technologies will be proposed. In order to assess and evaluate the implemented measures, acceptance studies will be carried out in addition to behavioural analyses, potential and impact studies.
Among other things, the Chair of Traffic Psychology at the Technical University of Dresden will as a Work Package leader (WP2 "Envision & user acceptance") investigate the conditions of acceptance of various geofencing applications in the urban mobility sector. Furthermore, concrete recommendations for increasing acceptance and effectiveness of these solutions will be derived in order to increase the probability of introducing such measures.
In addition to tools for implementation, GeoSence will also develop and propose approaches to scale-up and for other relevant issues (e.g. standardisation). In the end, GeoSence will provide a strategic implementation guide to further facilitate the dissemination of this innovative technology in Europe and support decision-making processes by integrating geofencing.
Further Informationen: GeoSence Website
Sponsor: BMVI
Partners: Freistaat Bayern, BMW, MAN, PTV, Siemens, SWM, UPS, 3DMS, Trafficon, TTS, KIT, TUM
Contact: Dr. Jens Schade, M. Sc. Christina Gögel, M. Sc. Kevin Andrew Harkin, M. Sc. Marie Kühn
Duration: Jan. 2021 – Jun. 2023
In the future, vehicles will also be able to drive automatically in metropolitan areas and cities. In TEMPUS, effects of automated vehicles (AV) on efficiency and safety and the acceptance of other non-motorized road users and citizens will be investigated by extensive driving tests in the real Munich road network. The project is realized by several project partners from the areas of local authorities, industry, SMEs and research (Free State of Bavaria, BMW, MAN, PTV, Siemens, SWM, UPS, 3DMS, Trafficon, TTS, KIT, TUD, TUM) and funded by the BMVI (Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure).
In this context, the Chair of Traffic Psychology at TU Dresden is involved in analyzing the conditions of acceptance of automated vehicles among different target groups and is also researching the interaction and communication between automated/connected and other road users.
On the one hand, a quantitative acceptance survey in a pre/post design among the inhabitants of the test area will be conducted so that representative statements on the acceptance of automated and connected driving within the population can be concluded. This is accompanied by participatory formats (citizen information events, workshops, focus groups). On the other hand, an analysis and optimization of communication and interaction processes in urban mixed traffic between AV and vulnerable road users (VRU) such as pedestrians and cyclists will take place with regard to objective and subjective traffic safety as well as traffic quality.
Sponsor: European Union HORIZON 2020
Project Partners: Instituto di Studi per l'integrazione dei Sistemi (IT), Fundacio Privada ERSILIA (ES), Université Gustave Eiffel (FR), Zilinska Univerzita V Ziline (SK), Osborne Clarke (GB)
Contact: Dr. Jens Schade, M. Sc. Lisa-Marie Schaefer
Duration: Dec. 2020 – Nov. 2022
REBALANCE investigates a possible paradigm shift in the transport sector. New values associated with mobility seem to be emerging in society, today; the project aims to identify them in order to integrate them into public policy. An ambitious collaborative intellectual exercise will be carried out that will mobilize a large multidisciplinary group of thinkers internationally. This group brings together philosophers, sociologists, psychologists, geographers and lawyers in an unusual composition. These considerations will be incorporated into the draft of a manifesto for a new culture of mobility. This manifesto, which expresses the common values and aspirations of European citizens, aims to influence the fundamental elements of European transport policy and to provide a basis for changing the way people think about mobility and transport policy decisions.
The Chair of Transportation Psychology participates in the project in particular by developing a value-based macro-framework for European mobility culture, discussing it in discussion with other experts and further adjusting it in the course of the project.
This project receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101007019.
Sponsor: Federal Highway Research Institute
Contact person: Dipl.-Psych. Dipl.-Ing. Christoph Schulze, M. Sc. Lisa Zwicker
Duration: November 2020 – December 2022
Due to its accessibility and reach, the traffic area represents an attractive environment for advertising. Up to now advertisements can mainly be found on buildings or on special facilities at the roadside. Occasionally, vehicles are also used as an advertising medium, which is usually associated with an increased attention and reach. Using display or LED technology can further enhance this advantages by making advertising presented on vehicles more salient and (especially at night) more visible. In the future, technical developments will make it not only possible but also affordable to display (dynamic) advertising on vehicles. On the other hand, questions of environmental protection (e.g. light emissions) and traffic flow and safety arise.
In the project “Advertising on Vehicles” we therefore try to estimate the (negative) effects of digital displays on other road users, especially concerning glare and distraction. Glare can occur if, in absolute terms, the luminance levels are too high or there are strong relative luminance differences, and thus impair the visibility of traffic-relevant signals. By drawing too much attention to the advertisement visual and cognitive resources might be used to an extent which leads to a relevant distraction from the driving task. To estimate the impairment of traffic flow and safety we will conduct driving simulator studies using differently designed and positioned advertisements.
Sponsor: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
Projectpartner: Professur für Verkehrsökologie (TUD)
Contact: MSc. Lisa-Marie Schaefer
Duration: Oct. 2020 - Nov. 2022
In order to meet the high demand for transport in urban areas of Georgia - especially in the capital Tbilisi - and at the same time reduce pollutant emissions, it is necessary to expand public transport and infrastructure for cycling and walking. In addition, routes for active modes of transport should be made safer in order to increase their attractiveness. These long-term goals can only be achieved if professionally trained experts from different disciplines work together on the basis of clearly defined objectives and responsibilities to advance sustainable urban mobility.
In order to create a reliable data basis on the current mobility situation in Georgia, a baseline study will be carried out in the project. This is based on the SrV ("System of Representative Travel Surveys") developed at the TUD and established in Germany, that will be adapted to the national context. Through cooperation with local experts and training of interviewers on site, the local initiative will also be supported in the implementation so that the survey can be carried out at regular intervals in the future by the local experts.
At the same time, a network with Georgian experts is established and thematic synergies in the courses offered by the local universities "Georgian Technical University" and "Kutaisi University" are being worked out. Finally, a new series of lectures on the topic of "Urban Mobility" will be compiled and integrated into the existing course syllabus. A first run will take place in the summer semester of 2022 and will be evaluated afterwards.
Sponsor: NRVP 2020 / BMVI
Project partner: IVI Dresden (Nora Strauzenberg)
Contact: Dr. Susann Richter, Christina Gögel, M. Sc.
Duration: 10/2020 - 11/2021
Children between the age of 10 to 14 increasingly use their bike as a means of transport. Unfortunately they still show deficits in competencies needed for safe traffic participation (e.g. erratic attention or self-awareness). This is reflected in an increase in the risk of accidents involving bicylces for 10 to 14 year-olds: 49.5% of 10 to 14 year-old children who have had road traffic accidents in 2019, had bicycle accidents (Statistisches Bundesamt, 2020).
There are various programs to improve bicycle safety for children. In contrast to the „Fahrradführerschein“ (bicycle driving license which usually takes place in fourth grade), programs for 10 to 14 year-olds are less standadized and various offers exist. There has been no evaluation on the quality, appropriateness and accuracy of these measures yet.
The aim of the project is therefore to create an evaluation standard for programs that aim to improve cycling safety for 10 to 14 year-olds. To do so, a catalog of criteria will be developed which will help describe and evaluate cycling projects for children in this age group. As an example, 10 existing cycling projects will be evaluated using this catalog.
Sponsor: NRVP 2020 / BMVI
Project partners: Stadtreinigung Hamburg, Chair of Transport Ecology (TUD), Chair of Assessment and Intervention (TUD)
Contact: Dipl.-Verk.wirtsch. Angela Francke
Duration: Sep. 2019 - Jul. 2022
The effectiveness of grit and de-icing agents used today to reduce the risk of cyclists falling on snow and slippery roads has many limits and often does not lead to optimum results. On the contrary, both on icy roads and after snow has thawed, many cyclists tend to perceive gravel or chippings as an additional safety risk, especially as their removal can take quite some time. New grit or de-icing agents could provide a solution. Within the framework of this research project, the use of alternative de-icing and dulling agents for winter road clearance services specific to cycle traffic will therefore be tested for the first time.
The project will be carried out by Stadtreinigung (city cleaning) Hamburg (SRH), and Technische Universität Dresden will provide scientific support for the project. In addition to a nationwide survey of municipal cycling officers to investigate current procedures and their limits, cyclists will also be interviewed online and on site to cover requirements from the user's point of view. In addition, the environmental impact of the grit used is examined in the course of a life cycle analysis. The gritting materials, which passed a first practical test on non-public test paths in winter 2020/2021, will be tested in winter 2021/2022 on selected cycle paths in public spaces. An on-site survey of cyclists with regard to their suitability for the user is also planned for these test tracks.
The result of the project will be an overview of possible alternatives to chippings as well as the expected environmental impacts and costs. The survey of cyclists will also provide information on obstacles and reasons for not using the bicycle in winter.
The project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) as part of the National Cycling Plan 2020.
Sponsor: BMBF
Project partners: Landeshauptstadt Dresden, Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development
Contact: MSc. Lisa Zwicker
Duration: Aug. 2019 - Juli 2022
As part of the project "Car-free City of the Future - The Week of Good Living", a densely populated district of Dresden is planned to be kept car-free for one week. This measure will inevitably have an effect on all residents of the affected district. Those who have used their car so far (and parked in the affected area) will have to change their plans or change to other means of transport. Even for those who have not yet used a motorised vehicle, the changes in the traffic area may subjectively open up new possibilities (e.g. by changing their perception of safety, which could be the basis for using a bicycle). How the affected citizens deal with the measure is to be investigated in comprehensive surveys (online, on site). At the same time, in addition to the short-term change in behaviour in immediate reaction to the current measure, it is above all of interest to what extent long-term established, habituated behaviour patterns (the use of the car) can be changed by experience during the measure (e.g. the "forced" use of other means of transport).
For this purpose, a longitudinal monitoring of a smaller sample of affected citizens is planned.
Sponsor: Unfallforschung der Versicherer (GDV)
Contacts: Dr. Madlen Ringhand, Dipl. Psych. Juliane Anke
Duration: Nov. 2019 - Sept. 2021
Since the regulation on very small electric vehicles came into force in June 2019, so-called e-scooters can be used by renting and/or purchasing them. At present, however, no reliable data is available regarding the road safety of e-scooters in Germany.
The aim of the project is to methodically investigate various aspects of e-scooter use, e.g. conflicts with cyclists or pedestrians, used road areas and the users' knowledge of the rules. With the help of tablet-based on-site surveys and on-site observations in Dresden and Berlin, the above-mentioned aspects, as well as the characteristics of the users will be examined in the field.
The findings will allow an estimation of the effects of e-scooter use on road safety.
Further information: www.udv.de/Verkehrsverhalten-e-scooter-fahrer
Contacts: Madlen Ringhand Juliane Anke
Fördergeber: NRVP 2020 / BMVI
Projektpartner: Chair of Industrial Design Engineering (TUD)
Ansprechpartner: Dipl. Psych. Juliane Anke
Laufzeit: Sep. 2019 - Aug. 2021
The group of cyclists is made up of different types who differ in behaviour and needs. They all face challenges in everyday cycling. Long-drawn-out gradients or an accumulation of traffic lights are only examples. The project focuses on answering practical questions such as "How can a gradient be fun?" or "Where to put the kinetic energy when stopping at red lights?
The German National Cycling Plan (Nationaler Radverkehrsplan NRVP) project is developing a gamification approach to increase the use of the bicycle by increasing user motivation. Gamification can be understood as "the use of game design elements in other contexts". The aim is to develop a small, integrated infrastructure solution that can be played directly by the cyclists on-site.
Based on user data, prototypical users (personas) for an illustrative problem situation will be developed. Based on this, different gamification mechanisms are assigned to the personas, which are implemented in a technical prototype. The prototype will then be deployed at a selected section of the cycling infrastructure and evaluated in terms of its effectiveness.
Sponsor: BMBF
Project Partners: TU München, TU Chemnitz, Uni Ulm, DLR, AIST (JP), Keio University (JP), University of Tsukuba (JP), University of Kumamoto (JP), University of Tokyo (JP)
Contact: Daniel Eisele, M.Sc., Christina Gögel, M.Sc., Prof. Dr. Tibor Petzoldt
Duration: Sep. 2019 – Aug. 2022
For automated driving, it is crucial that different technologies ensure the same functionalities worldwide. This project therefore focuses on the investigation of people as road users in an international setting. Within the context of cultural differences between Japan and Germany, questions arise regarding the communication of automated vehicles with surrounding traffic, ways to inform, train and educate future users, and the interaction between the driver and the automation.
The project aims at investigating different interaction strategies of automated vehicles (including external displays) with other road users, different strategies for training and educating future drivers on automated driving, and cognitive processes of drivers during transitions between different levels of automation.
Sponsor: NRVP 2020 / BMVI
Project partner: Chair of Transport Ecology
Contact: Dipl.- Verk.wirtsch. Angela Francke, MSc. Lisa-Marie Schaefer
Duration: September 2018 - August 2020
Mobility means daily participation in society. The bicycle provides an opportunity to cover distances in a cheap, active and self- determined way. Barriers to using the bicycle are factors like distances and comfort, whereas initial studies have shown that people with a migration background also reflect on culture and socialization. According to mobility surveys, immigrants do not consider using the bicycle as often as people without a migration background do it.
The aim of the project is to improve the chances in mobility and social participation of the target group (immigrants from the numerical most important countries of origin) and to address the barriers in bicycle use directly. Therefore, by using participative research approaches, the target group takes part in the explorative phase of the project by being involved in creating hypotheses.
Together with participants and people with a migration background, the research questions are developed close to the need. This occurs in line with a qualitative analysis, examining the cycling initiatives in Germany related to its criteria of success (10 initiatives with ca. 50 interview partners). In a quantitative survey throughout Germany (ca. 1000 interviewees) the hypotheses will be examined and finally qualitative and quantitative results will be synthesized. Based on results of individual mobility requirements with reference to different countries of origin, spatial-structural conditions and effects of already existing offers, suggestions about effective cycling interventions will be given, especially for the target group.
The project is sponsored by the Ministry of traffic and digital infrastructure (BMVI) from the resources for implementation of the national cycling plan.
Sponsor: Federal Highway Research Institute
Project partner: Chair of Road planning and Road Design
Contact: Juliane Anke
Duration: April 2018 – December 2021
The research project examines how longitudinal markings on rural roads affect safety-related aspects of driving behaviour and thus road safety during the day and at night. With data collection by a simulator study and validating real traffic surveys, it will be quantified how longitudinal markings on rural roads influence daytime and nighttime traffic safety. Taking into account the influence of different road types, cross-sections, markings and boundary conditions, the effect of road markings on safety-related behaviour is determined.