As the global conversation about assisted and automated vehicles (AVs) evolves, MIT's Advanced Vehicle technology (AVT) Consortium continues to lead cutting-edge research aimed at understanding how drivers interact with emerging vehicle technologies.
Since its launch in 2015, the AVT Consortium, a global collaboration between academia and industry to develop a data-driven understanding of how drivers respond to commercially available vehicle technologies, has developed a data-driven approach to studying attitudes. of consumers and driving behavior in various populations. , creating unique, multifaceted and world-leading data sets to enable a diverse set of research applications. This research offers critical insights into consumer behaviors, system performance, and how technology impacts real-world driving, helping to shape the future of transportation.
“Cultivating public trust in ai will be the most important factor for the future of automated and assisted vehicles,” said Bryan Reimer, founder of the AVT Consortium and research engineer at the MIT AgeLab within the Center for Transportation and Logistics (CTL). ) from MIT. “Without trust, technology adoption will never reach its potential and may stagnate. “Our research aims to close this gap by understanding driver behavior and translating that knowledge into safer, more intuitive systems that enable safer, more convenient, comfortable, sustainable and economical mobility.”
New insights from JD Power Mobility Confidence Index study
A recent Study of the confidence index in mobilityconducted in collaboration with JD Power, indicated that public readiness for autonomous vehicles has increased modestly after a two-year decline. While this change is important for broader adoption of AV technology, it is just one element of ongoing research within the AVT Consortium, which is currently co-led by Reimer, Bruce Mehler and Pnina Gershon. The study, which examines consumer attitudes toward autonomous vehicles, reflects growing interest in the technology, but consumer perceptions are only part of the complex equation AVT researchers are working to solve.
“The modest increase in VA readiness is encouraging,” Reimer notes. “But building lasting trust requires us to dig deeper and examine how drivers interact with these systems in practice. Trust is not based solely on interest; It's about creating a trustworthy and understandable user experience that people feel safe with over time. Trust can erode quickly.”
Develop a data-driven understanding of driving behavior
The AVT Consortium's approach involves collecting extensive real-world data on driver interactions across age groups, experience levels and vehicles. This data forms one of the largest data sets of its kind, allowing researchers to study system performance, driver behavior, and attitudes toward automated and assistive technologies. AVT research aims to compare and contrast the benefits of incorporating technologies from various manufacturers. The vision of AVT research is that identifying the most promising attributes of various manufactured systems makes it easier and faster for new designs to evolve from the power of the positive.
“The work of the AVT Consortium exemplifies MIT's commitment to understanding the human side of technology,” says Yossi Sheffi, director of the CTL. “By delving into driver behavior and attitudes toward automated and assisted systems, the AVT Consortium is laying the foundation for a future where these technologies are reliable and widely adopted. “This research is essential to creating a transportation landscape that is safe, efficient, and adaptable to real-world human needs.”
Insights from the AVT Consortium have proven valuable in helping shape vehicle design to meet the needs of real-world drivers. By understanding how drivers respond to these technologies, the consortium's work supports the development of ai systems that are reliable and intuitive, address driver concerns, and foster trust in the technology.
“We're not just interested in whether people are willing to use automated and assistive vehicle technologies,” adds Reimer. “We are investigating how they use these technologies, what challenges they encounter, and how we can improve system design to make these technologies safer and more intuitive for all drivers.”
An interdisciplinary approach to vehicle technology
The AVT Consortium is not just a research effort: it is a community that brings together academic researchers, industry partners and consumer organizations. By working with stakeholders across the automotive, technology and insurance industries, the AVT team is able to explore the full range of challenges and opportunities presented by emerging vehicle technologies to ensure a comprehensive, practical, multi-stakeholder approach to the rapidly evolving mobility landscape. . The interdisciplinary framework is also crucial to understanding how ai-powered systems can help humans beyond the car.
“As vehicle technologies evolve, it's critical to understand how they intersect with the everyday experiences of drivers of all ages,” said Joe Coughlin, director of the MIT AgeLab. “The AVT Consortium's approach, which focuses on both data and human-centered insights, reflects a deep commitment to creating mobility systems that truly serve people. AgeLab is proud to support this work, which is critical to making future vehicle systems intuitive, safe and empowering for everyone.”
“The future of mobility depends on our ability to create systems that drivers can trust and feel comfortable using,” says Reimer. “Our mission at AVT is not only to develop a data-driven understanding of how drivers across their lives use and respond to various vehicle technologies, but also to provide actionable insights into consumer attitudes to improve safety and security.” usability”.
Shaping the future of mobility
As automated and assistive vehicles become more common on our roads, the work of the AVT Consortium will continue to play a critical role in shaping the future of transportation. By prioritizing data-driven insights and human-centered design, the AVT Consortium is helping to lay the foundation for a safer, smarter, and more reliable mobility future.
MIT CTL is a world leader in supply chain management research and education, with more than 50 years of experience. The center's work encompasses industry partnerships, cutting-edge research and the advancement of sustainable supply chain practices.
