Research

Overview

Mobility Measurement and Controlling

Based on the fundamental fields of mechanics, vibration, and control engineering, researches on state monitoring, ergonomics, human-machine interface, automated driving, and cooperative systems related to mobility are conducted. Non-technical issues, called ELSI, are also being addressed, with the aim of implementing these technologies in society.

Major Research Themes (click for details)
Evaluation of Performance of Shared Control
Shared control is a system controlling something cooperating with a human. A part of advanced driver assist systems of automobiles are corresponding to it. Our laboratory is conducting researches on a haptic steering guidance system as an example of the shared control.
Haptic Steering Assistance Based on Prediction of the Future Trajectory in Line with the Intention of the Driver
This research explores the development and evaluation of machine learning models and a haptic steering assistance system which can predict future trajectory to assist human driver. Several driving experiments to evaluate the proposed system are conducted.
Evaluation of Human Machine Interface for Vehicle-infrastructure Cooperative Driver Assistance
In the future, the social implementation of Level 4 automated driving is expected to begin with commercial vehicles, while Level 2 driver assistance systems are likely to expand to public roads for private vehicles. To facilitate Level 4 deployment, infrastructure-cooperative systems are being developed to transmit information such as traffic signals and detected objects from roadside sensors to vehicles. To extend the use of such systems to driver assistance, effective human-machine interfaces (HMIs) are being investigated through driving simulator experiments.
Understanding and Optimizing Situational Acceptance in Automated Driving
With the rapid advancement of automation and electrification technologies, low technology acceptance—driven by users’ psychological resistance—has become a major barrier to the commercialization of intelligent transportation. Meanwhile, most existing studies conceptualize acceptance as a pre-use decision to adopt or reject a technology, overlooking its dynamic and situational attributes during interaction. To address this gap, a series of driving simulator studies were conducted
Trajectory Prediction of Surrounding Vehicles based on Traffic Scenario Understanding
Accurate and fast trajectory prediction of surrounding road users is critical to improve the intelligence of autonomous driving systems. In complex traffic scenario, road users with different kinds of behaviors and styles and road with different kinds of areas and markers brings complexity to the environment, which requires considering interactions among road users and road structure and traffic rules, when anticipating their future trajectories. This study proposes a long-term parallel interactive trajectory prediction method based on scenario understanding.
Energy Harvesting in Rotating Body
This is an energy harvester in rotational motion which can convert the vibration and rotation energy into electricity based on the piezoelectric effect. Thus, the promising application is to power the wireless sensors installed in the rotational environment, such as the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). To enhance energy harvesting performance, a multi-stable nonlinear energy harvester is proposed in rotational motion.
A New Method for Evaluating Running Safety Using Wheel/Rail Contact Conditions
Running safety against flange-climb derailment is typically evaluated using the derailment quotient (Y/Q). While this method has proven reliable over time, there is a need to improve its accuracy due to its conservative nature. Incorporating wheel/rail contact conditions can help refine the safety thresholds associated with Y/Q, though this adjustment provides minimal benefit on sharp curves. This study proposes a new method for evaluating running safety against flangeclimb derailment in railway vehicles, focusing directly on the wheel/rail contact conditions.
Unified Traffic Control System for Railway and Road Vehicles Using Mobile Phone Line
Unified traffic control system for railway and road vehicles using mobile phone line is proposed. The demonstration is carried out at ITS experimental field in Kashiwa campus, including the railway test track, the test road, and the railway crossings.
Driving Assistance for Electric Wheelchairs at Pedestrian Crossings and Railroad Crossings Using Infrastructure to Vehicle Communication
A system to assist electric wheelchairs at railroad and pedestrian crossings by controlling signals via mobile networks, with its effectiveness validated experimentally.
Activities to Realize Level 4 Cooperated Automated Mobility Service
Pilot test to run an automated driving bus (Level 2 operation) between Kashiwanoha Campus Station and Kashiwa campus of the University of Tokyo every day (weekdays only) started in November 2019 implemented by Kashiwa ITS Promotion Council. To link these activities to the social implementation of Level 4 automated driving services in the Kashiwanoha area of Kashiwa City, a six-party consortium led by the University of Tokyo was entrusted with “RoAD to the L4 project (Theme 4)”, called as CooL4, of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.
Building the Method for Social Implementation of Automated Driving Technology Complying with Actual State Based on ELSI
ELSI stands for Ethical, Legal and Social Implications/Issues. There have been efforts in various fields to study and deal with ELSIs that arise with the development of new science and technology. This study examined how automated driving technology should be implemented in society, based on the fundamental question, "Can humans and society accept the mistakes made by machines?”. This project was supported by the Research and Development Center for Social Technology (RISTEX) of the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) under the "Research and Development Program for Comprehensive Application of Science and Technology to Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues (ELSI)" (RInCA) (FY 2020), and was conducted by the University of Tokyo, Meiji University, and the University of Tsukuba. The project was conducted by the University of Tokyo, Meiji University, and University of Tsukuba.
Driver Initiated Take-over during driver assistance with signal recognition
When advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) with signal recognition are used, the driver is requested to take over driving to avoid an accident when the system fails to detect a signal or detects a false signal. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the possibility of safe driverinitiated intervention in the event of undetected or false detection by the driver assistance system, and to propose and evaluate a humanmachine interface that promotes appropriate intervention, through driving simulator experiments.
Steering Controller Design of Automated Driving Bus
There are high expectations for the development of automated buses and driverless bus operation in developed countries because of the aging population and the gradual shortage of transportation. Since only onboard sensors are not enough for measuring precise position of the vehicle, infrastructures such as magnetic markers are expected to correct it. However, comparison between infrastructures and sensors, and the appropriate interval of markers have not been stated explicitly.
Decreased Deceleration Detection of Railway Vehicle
When decreased deceleration between a rail and a wheel occurs, the braking distance is extended, which demands caution by a driver. In particular, the decreased deceleration occurs more frequently in snow weather. The purpose of this study is to detect decreased deceleration and share the detection information among vehicle drivers in order to prevent unsafe operation.
Research on interface to improve safe driving based on human's conscious processing
When humans pay attention to the components of a task that can be performed without conscious control, the performance decreases. This phenomenon is called conscious processing theory. If this theory is applied to driving assistance system, presenting inappropriate assistance information may induce conscious processing and reduces safe driving performance. However, little systematic knowledge is useful for designing driving assistance systems that prevent conscious processing. In this study, we apply conscious processing theory to overtaking scene, which has a high traffic fatality rate, and examine the effects of presenting information with different characteristics on drivers’ processing and safe driving performance.
Vehicle Dynamics and Safety Assessment of Railway Train Set during Earthquakes
Large earthquakes repeatedly occurred in Japan, and derailment and overturning of railway vehicles occurred during these earthquakes in some cases. Safety measures are being implemented in various railway sectors, and it is important to continue studying to improve safety. On the other hand, it is difficult to conduct experiments in which derailment and overturn occur using actual vehicles. Also, conventional vehicle dynamics simulations can mainly handle vehicle behaviour up to derailment. This study is conducting research to overcome these problems and understand the derailment and overturn phenomena by using model vehicles and developing new vehicle dynamics simulations.
Tram Vehicle Clearance Identification Algorithm for Driverless Tram Operations
To realize driverless tram services in our societies, it is undeniably crucial to equip trams with the capability to understand their surrounding environment, especially the front area, to prevent accidents and achieve the highest level of operational safety. Therefore, the main purpose of this study is to introduce an algorithm that identifies tram vehicle clearance, defined as the distance from the rail track center to both ends of the tram vehicle. This clearance identification helps determine whether any obstacles are present within the tram’s path.
Investigation on Deer Collisions Preventing Methods with Video Recorded in Railway Operation Environment
Railway disruptions involving animals have been increasing these years. Some prevention methods exist, but cannot be regarded effective enough. Animal disruptions have more severe influence in rural areas. Few vehicles: Higher cost effectiveness of on-vehicle countermeasures. “Marin-Saponin” effective for repelling birds such as craws. It generates light that birds are sensitive to, while humans are not. It also has repelling effect to deer.
Experiment Device