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12/22/2021 | Campus-Meldung

New testing methodology aims to minimize pedestrian accidents

Every year, around 1000 VRUs (Vulnerable Road Users, pedestrians/cyclists) die in German road traffic. The University of Kassel and the Kassel-based company Flavia are jointly developing a novel test methodology to measure accidents involving these so-called VRUs (Vulnerable Road Users) for the first time, thus enabling the development of pedestrian protection systems.

Cooperative protection systems promise to reduce accident rates for VRUs. Their development requires a detailed understanding of the relationship between VRU movements and accident scenario.

Classically, VRU accidents are studied with simulations or dummies. Both approaches do not consider the behavior and reactions of the VRU, since no real human is moving in them.

The ComTec (communication technology) department at the University of Kassel, led by  Prof. Dr.-Ing. Klaus David, will work with the Kassel-based company Flavia IT in the joint project Safe_VR to develop a new test methodology that addresses this problem. For the first time, the test methodology makes it possible to realistically perform and measure accidents involving less protected road users. In the process, a person moves along a real road and at the same time completely harmlessly for him or her by means of a virtual reality (VR) in an accident scenario. The positions and activities are recorded in parallel via the VR system and smartphone sensor technology. The data obtained can be used in further projects to optimize protection systems in order to reduce the number of traffic fatalities and injuries.

"The Safe_VR project is funded with a total of 100,000 euros by the German Federal Ministry of Digital Affairs and Transport as part of the mFUND innovation initiative."

The project will start in January 2022 and run for one year. The new test methodology strengthens ComTec's research in VRU protection. Flavia IT is contributing its expertise in computer visualistics and virtual reality. Flavia IT is an owner-managed technology company founded in Kassel in 2001.  With 60 employees, it implements IT projects on behalf of customers, primarily for large and medium-sized companies in Germany.

About the BMDV's mFUND funding program

As part of the mFUND funding program, the BMDV has been supporting research and development projects related to data-based digital innovations for Mobility 4.0 since 2016. Project funding is supplemented by active professional networking between stakeholders from politics, business, administration and research and the provision of open data on the mCLOUD portal. For more information, visit www.mfund.de."

For more information, visit www.mfund.de.

Contact:

Prof. Dr. Klaus David
University of Kassel
Department 16 - Electrical Engineering/Computer Science
Department of Communications Engineering
Tel. +49 561 804-6314
E-mail: David@Uni-Kassel.de


Dr. Andreas Gebhardt
University of Kassel
Communication, Press and Public Relations
Tel. 0561 804-1961
E-mail: Presse@uni-kassel.de