Cadillac's CT6 features a light bar on the steering wheel that tells the driver when its Super Cruise automation system is engaged. (Photo by Cadillac)

Likewise, these connected and automated vehicles will know when an obstacle ahead prompts a slowdown, which could prevent emergency braking or the traffic phenomenon known as shock waves. These phantom obstacles occur whenever someone in heavy highway traffic brakes, creating a ripple effect that can last long after the original obstacle has vanished.

“These cascading effects are virtually unavoidable with human drivers,” Ma said. “In one study, they asked 20 vehicles to drive in a circle. And eventually, they all ended up in stop and go traffic. Everyone has different perceptual reactions.”

Autonomous vehicles will share data with each other and sensors in traffic controls every tenth of a second, vastly improving reaction time. Ma developed an algorithm for vehicles in platoons that improved fuel efficiency by as much as 20 percent by smoothing the stop-and-start traffic.

“We proved our algorithm was effective,” he said.

Cities such as Cincinnati are embracing these technologies to improve public transportation, said Zack Huhn, president of the consulting firm Venture Smarter. He envisions autonomous public shuttles being introduced first to places such as the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport or even UC’s campuses.

“We’re really talking about integrating intelligent transportation solutions into our infrastructure and our public transit systems,” he said.

Huhn said UC will play an important role in helping to prove the feasibility, safety and long-term cost-effectiveness of these integrated systems.

“UC is deeply involved in making these things happen. It’s great for the region that this research lives here,” he said.



Graduated Autonomy

Car engineers use a six-step scale to describe the level of autonomy provided by vehicles.
    •    Zero means the car is controlled entirely by the driver with no automation.

    •    Level 1 provides driver assistance with modest automation such as cruise control.

    •    Level 2 employs multiple automation systems like cruise control and lane assist but human drivers perform dynamic operations.

    •    Level 3 is conditional automation under which the car is controlling steering, acceleration, braking and collision detection, but the driver must be ready to take over at a moment’s notice.

    •    Level 4 is considered high automation, which means the car can take over all driving duties for designated roads or traffic conditions. The driver essentially becomes a passenger.

    •    Level 5 is full automation, which means the driver can bring a book or pillow wherever they go. “Hey Alexa, wake me up when we get to Tucson!”


Sources: NHTSA, SAE International

Meanwhile, engineers will have to overcome uncertainties such as the weather. Manufacturers are doing most of their testing in California and Arizona, sunny states, before testing the technology in the rain or snow. They want to perfect the system under ideal conditions first and then gradually introduce adverse conditions, Ma said.

“There are so many different scenarios of driving in the real world. They might be able to handle 90 percent or more of these driving scenarios, but that last 5 to 10 percent is a big challenge,” Ma said.

Ma also is helping the U.S. Department of Transportation conduct analysis, modeling and simulation studies of connected and automated vehicles. These computer models and simulations help researchers understand the effectiveness of different automation applications and networking tools before they undergo tests in the field, Ma said.

Simulations can help researchers examine how connected and automated vehicles and smart signals interact with virtual traffic, which could validate their research before field tests. It also allows researchers to isolate particular pieces of technology to adjust or refine the system.

He plans to work this year with the UC Office of Research to purchase a test vehicle to study autonomous sensing and controls. Ma is collaborating with UC engineering professor Ou Ma (no relation).

Ou Ma said car sensors will have to deal with a host of challenges, from variations in light to high-contrast shadows.

“A solution is to add more, redundant sensors so if one fails, the others work,” he said. “You can always combine information from various sensors.”

UC's research holds promise to improve the quality of life for people in a number of ways, said Jennifer Krivickas, assistant vice president for integrated research at UC’s Office of Research.

“Eventually, automated vehicles will provide people with safe, equitable and cost-effective access to education, jobs and quality health care,” Krivickas said.

“The advanced technologies and robotics such as those that Dr. Ou Ma is researching and developing will have both direct and indirect impacts on the economy, the environment and society.”

Government agencies will have to work with utilities to determine who pays for the technology upgrades to make traffic signals smart.

Initially, these systems will be more expensive, Ou Ma said. But the cost will come down over time as more manufacturers embrace these features.

“In the beginning, it’s always expensive. But the benefit is big. It’s worth the investment,” Ou Ma said.

Autonomous vehicles could have profound effects on the way we live and even where we live, he said.

“When we buy a house, we have to worry about the daily commute. It takes an hour to drive to work. But if you have automated vehicles, that’s another hour I could work in the car. Then I think cities could be spread over greater distances,” he said. “It’s going to be a big change in lifestyle.”



Research and innovation

Do you have good research ideas? At UC, students can collaborate with colleges across campus to turn their ideas into real-world solutions. Check out the College of Engineering and Applied Science or explore other programs on the undergraduate or graduate level.