Expertise

The last half-century has seen dramatic economic and technological changes in the automotive industry. Those changes are now accelerating as the industry strives to transform the global transportation and mobility system.

UMTRI’s collaborative and multidisciplinary approach is helping to lead that change by expanding and leveraging the vast resources of the University of Michigan in key fields such as engineering, urban planning, behavioral science, emergency medicine, gerontology, public health, business, public administration and policy, and community service.

Connected and Automated Vehicles  Researchers in all groups at UMTRI are performing research to facilitate the development and integration of connected and automated vehicles and systems onto roadways around the world.

Crash and Driving Data Analysis UMTRI experts have access to petabytes of efficient and high-quality naturalistic data sets, crash data for the U.S. and several states, as well as the largest set of connected vehicle data in the world.  This data will better inform manufacturers, and policy makers in their pursuit of a national connected vehicle network and AV deployment. 

Driver Behavior Researchers at UMTRI are committed to safe, equitable and efficient transportation and mobility for all ages and that begins by deepening our understanding of the social and behavioral issues that impact driver behavior.

Human Computational Modeling UMTRI’s experts use physical testing and computational modeling to understand how differences in body shape, age, and the posture within a vehicle affect crash protection so that everyone can be protected well. People with disabilities, seniors, and children all will benefit from this continued focus on crash protection.

Legislation and Safety Programs UMTRI’s research findings have influenced public policies, safety regulations, industry standards and product design. From the beginning, researchers were encouraged to be bold, courageous, and seek collaborations across the university.   

Injury Biomechanics and Ergonomics UMTRI researchers conducts research on the biomechanics of motor vehicle occupants as it relates to occupant injuries, crash protection, and occupant accommodation. Using state-of-the-art laboratory testing facilities, three-dimensional computer modeling, and data analysis techniques to conduct a wide range of research UMTRI is influencing the safety of road users around the world.

Occupant Restraint Systems UMTRI researchers develop methods for surveying the use and misuse of occupant protection systems such as safety belts and child safety seats. They track trends in state occupant protection use, develop and evaluate occupant protection systems and programs, and provide technical support to communities.

Vulnerable Road Users and Occupants Vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians, motorcyclists and bicyclists are at a greater risk to experience the negative impacts of our current transportation system.

Traffic Modeling UMTRI researchers are exploring the transition of traffic control systems to next generation control with CAVs. Connected vehicle trajectories are utilized to estimate traffic states and perform detector-free signal control.