Kinematic characterization of micro-mobility vehicles during evasive maneuvers

Area of Science:

• Road safety research
• Human-computer interaction
• Transportation engineering

Background:

• Micromobility vehicles (MMVs) are increasingly popular, raising road safety and public health concerns.
• Characterizing MMV kinematic performance and safety boundaries is crucial for understanding their behavior.
• This study addresses the need for effective MMV safety analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize MMV kinematic behaviors during emergency maneuvers.
• To examine the effect of different power sources on MMV performance.
• To assess the suitability of piecewise linear models for MMV trajectory analysis.

Main Methods:

• Conducted test track experiments with 40 riders on various electric and traditional MMVs, plus as pedestrians.
• Performed emergency braking and swerving maneuvers to collect kinematic data.
• Estimated minimum radius of curvature to determine swerving boundaries.

Main Results:

• Electric MMVs exhibited superior braking compared to traditional counterparts; swerving performance was the opposite.
• Handlebar-equipped MMVs (bicycles, scooters) outperformed handlebar-less ones (skateboards, onewheel).
• Piecewise linear models accurately fitted most MMV braking trajectories, with exceptions for skateboards and pedestrians.

Conclusions:

• MMV maneuverability is significantly influenced by device type and power source, impacting collision safety.
• Piecewise linear models provide parameterized functions for braking trajectories, useful for traffic event reconstruction and simulations.
• Findings can inform traffic regulators and MMV designers to enhance user safety and enable intelligent systems to predict rider actions.