Transportation Science News

March 27, 2025

Top Headlines

Philosophy: Cultural Differences in Exploitation of Artificial Agents

Mar. 26, 2025 — A new study shows that people in Japan treat robots and AI agents more respectfully than people in Western ...

E-Scooter Crashes Mainly Caused by Reckless Driving

Mar. 25, 2025 — Crashes on electric scooters are mostly due to the behavior of the riders, with one-handed steering and riding in a group being some of the largest risk factors. The researchers are also concerned about riders who deliberately crash or cause ...

Study Shines Headlights on Consumer Driverless Vehicle Safety Deficiencies

Mar. 4, 2025 — Researchers have demonstrated that multicolored stickers applied to stop or speed limit signs on the roadside can 'confuse' self-driving vehicles, causing unpredictable and possibly hazardous ...

Researchers Are Driving the Charge of Zero Emissions

Feb. 10, 2025 — New research finds that electric vehicles generally produce less non-exhaust emissions compared with gasoline-powered ...

Latest Headlines

updated 11:06pm EDT

One in Four Chance Per Year That Rocket Junk Will Enter Busy Airspace

Feb. 5, 2025 — There's a 26 per cent annual chance that space rocket junk will re-enter the atmosphere and pass through a busy flight area, according to a recent study. While the chance of debris hitting an ...

Engineers Model Electric Grid Demand for EVs to Charge While in Motion

Feb. 4, 2025 — Running out of gas in a remote area far from a gas station is every driver's worst nightmare. A similar stressor, known as "range anxiety," exists for owners of electric vehicles who worry about how ...

Inconsistencies in Hospital Toxicology Screening Protocols Following Serious Motor Vehicle Collisions

Jan. 27, 2025 — A new study has found that drug screening practices may be inconsistent with potential downstream effects in reporting to the ...

How Simple Prompts Can Make Partially Automated Cars Safer

Jan. 28, 2025 — A new study finds that prompts do a good job of getting drivers to engage with their environment and take over control of the vehicle when necessary while using partially automated driving systems -- ...

Scientific Approach Can Optimize Bike Lane Planning

Jan. 27, 2025 — develop a model that can help municipalities choose optimal locations as they expand their cycling lane networks in response to growing ...

New Research Measures Vibrations That Make City Bus Rides Uncomfortable

Dec. 5, 2024 — To improve the riding experience and safety, the research team has identified several potential enhancements, including better suspension systems, redesigned seats to absorb vibrations more ...

Rates of E-Bike Injuries Rise Fourfold and Powered Scooter Injuries Nearly Double

Sep. 24, 2024 — The rate of e-bike and powered scooter injuries surged between 2019 and 2022 -- by 293 percent and 88 percent, respectively. The research adds to the ...

Autonomous Vehicles Could Understand Their Passengers Better With ChatGPT

Sep. 16, 2024 — Imagine simply telling your vehicle, 'I'm in a hurry,' and it automatically takes you on the most efficient route to where you need to be. Engineers found that an autonomous vehicle (AV) can do this ...

Bicycle Rolling-Stop Laws Don't Lead to Unsafe Behavior by Riders or Motorists, Research Shows

Aug. 26, 2024 — Laws that let bicyclists treat stop signs as yield signs lead neither riders nor motorists to act unsafely, according to a groundbreaking ...

Drivers Ready to Embrace Wireless EV Technology

June 24, 2024 — Drivers are optimistic about 'on road' dynamic wireless charging that allows EV users to charge their batteries while driving -- but there are ...

College Commuters: Link Between Students' Mental Health, Vehicle Crashes

Feb. 5, 2025 — Young adults are at higher risk for crashes due to inexperience, risk-taking, and impaired driving. A study examines the link between commuter college students' mental health and crash risk, ...

Engineers Unveil AI Model for Predicting, Controlling Pandemic Spread

Oct. 24, 2024 — A team of engineers has published a study on how international air travel has influenced the spread of COVID-19, finding Western Europe, the Middle East and North America as leading regions in ...

Electric Scooter and Bike Accidents Are Soaring Across the United States

July 23, 2024 — In the crowded urban landscape, where small electric vehicles -- primarily scooters and bicycles -- have transformed short distance travel, researchers are reporting a major national surge in ...

Traffic Speeds Decrease When Bike Lane Is Present

June 3, 2024 — Researchers conducting a study at a high-traffic intersection in a Jersey Shore town have found that the installation of a bike lane along the road approaching the convergence reduced driving ...

AI-Controlled Stations Can Charge Electric Cars at a Personal Price

May 31, 2024 — As more and more people drive electric cars, congestion and queues can occur when many people need to charge at the same time. A new study shows how AI-controlled charging stations, through smart ...

Bio-Inspired Cameras and AI Help Drivers Detect Pedestrians and Obstacles Faster

May 29, 2024 — Artificial intelligence (AI) combined with a novel bio-inspired camera achieves 100 times faster detection of pedestrians and obstacles than current automotive cameras. This important step for ...

What Are the Risks of Hydrogen Vehicles in Tunnels?

May 28, 2024 — A team has analyzed the risk and damage potential of hydrogen vehicles in tunnels and derived recommendations. Their conclusion? Any damage would be extensive, but its occurrence is ...

How Electric Vehicle Drivers Can Escape Range Anxiety

Apr. 25, 2024 — Two of the biggest challenges faced by new and potential electric vehicle (EV) drivers are range anxiety and speed of charging, but these shouldn't have to be challenges at all. Researchers ...

GeoAI Technologies for Sustainable Urban Development

Apr. 15, 2024 — From heatwaves to pandemic diseases, the urban environments of the world face numerous challenges. Researchers are harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) and informatics to address emerging concerns ...

One-Third of Ride-Share Drivers Have Had a Crash on the Job, Survey Finds

Apr. 4, 2024 — Using a cell phone, driving while tired and driving on unfamiliar roads increased the likelihood of a ...

New Traffic Signal Would Improve Travel Time for Both Pedestrians and Vehicles

Mar. 12, 2024 — Adding a fourth light to traffic signals -- in addition to red, green and yellow -- would shorten wait times at street corners for pedestrians, as well as improve traffic flow for both autonomous ...

Improving Traffic Signal Timing With a Handful of Connected Vehicles

Feb. 20, 2024 — With GPS data from as little as 6% of vehicles on the road, researchers can recalibrate traffic signals to significantly reduce congestion and delays at ...

Determining Who Gets Blamed When Cars Hit Pedestrians

Feb. 13, 2024 — A new study examines the circumstances behind who is found at fault when cars hit pedestrians in an urban area. Results showed that the environment where the crash took place -- especially the types ...

Road Features That Predict Crash Sites Identified in New Machine-Learning Model

Feb. 13, 2024 — Issues such as abrupt changes in speed limits and incomplete lane markings are among the most influential factors that can predict road crashes, finds new research. The study then used machine ...

Engineers Develop Hack to Make Automotive Radar 'Hallucinate'

Jan. 31, 2024 — Engineers have demonstrated a system they've dubbed 'MadRadar' for fooling automotive radar sensors into believing almost anything is possible. The technology can hide the approach of ...

Using Idle Trucks to Power the Grid With Clean Energy

Jan. 15, 2024 — Researchers are tapping into idled electric vehicles to act as mobile generators and help power overworked and aging electricity grids. After analyzing energy demand on Alberta's power grid ...

In the Driver's Seat: Study Explores How We Interact With Remote Drivers

Jan. 13, 2024 — Research is helping shed light on the important interaction between users and remote drivers that oversee the operation of automated ...

360-Degree Head-Up Display View Could Warn Drivers of Road Obstacles in Real Time

Dec. 21, 2023 — Researchers have developed an augmented reality head-up display that could improve road safety by displaying potential hazards as high-resolution three-dimensional holograms directly in a ...

How Big Events Can Disrupt Public Transit Over an Entire City

Dec. 19, 2023 — New technology has allowed scientists to see how a major sporting event can disrupt public transportation in an entire city for hours before and after the ...

Using Machine Learning to Monitor Driver 'Workload' Could Help Improve Road Safety

Dec. 7, 2023 — Researchers have developed an adaptable algorithm that could improve road safety by predicting when drivers are able to safely interact with in-vehicle systems or receive messages, such as traffic ...