scholarly journals On the Impact of the Rules on Autonomous Drive Learning

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 2394 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacopo Talamini ◽  
Alberto Bartoli ◽  
Andrea De De Lorenzo ◽  
Eric Medvet
Keyword(s):  
Autonomous Vehicles ◽  
Moral Issues ◽  
Technological Revolution ◽  
Optimal Behavior ◽  
Road Users ◽  
Experimental Campaign ◽  
Simulated Environment ◽  
Learned Behaviors ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Traffic Rules

Autonomous vehicles raise many ethical and moral issues that are not easy to deal with and that, if not addressed correctly, might be an obstacle to the advent of such a technological revolution. These issues are critical because autonomous vehicles will interact with human road users in new ways and current traffic rules might not be suitable for the resulting environment. We consider the problem of learning optimal behavior for autonomous vehicles using Reinforcement Learning in a simple road graph environment. In particular, we investigate the impact of traffic rules on the learned behaviors and consider a scenario where drivers are punished when they are not compliant with the rules, i.e., a scenario in which violation of traffic rules cannot be fully prevented. We performed an extensive experimental campaign, in a simulated environment, in which drivers were trained with and without rules, and assessed the learned behaviors in terms of efficiency and safety. The results show that drivers trained with rules enforcement are willing to reduce their efficiency in exchange for being compliant to the rules, thus leading to higher overall safety.

The Impact of Mental States on Semi-autonomous Driving Takeover Performance: A Systematic Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 1372-1376
Author(s):  
Gaojian Huang ◽  
Christine Petersen ◽  
Brandon J. Pitts
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Autonomous Vehicles ◽  
Response Times ◽  
Autonomous Driving ◽  
Mental States ◽  
Manual Control ◽  
Monitoring Systems ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Different Types ◽  
The Impact

Semi-autonomous vehicles still require drivers to occasionally resume manual control. However, drivers of these vehicles may have different mental states. For example, drivers may be engaged in non-driving related tasks or may exhibit mind wandering behavior. Also, monitoring monotonous driving environments can result in passive fatigue. Given the potential for different types of mental states to negatively affect takeover performance, it will be critical to highlight how mental states affect semi-autonomous takeover. A systematic review was conducted to synthesize the literature on mental states (such as distraction, fatigue, emotion) and takeover performance. This review focuses specifically on five fatigue studies. Overall, studies were too few to observe consistent findings, but some suggest that response times to takeover alerts and post-takeover performance may be affected by fatigue. Ultimately, this review may help researchers improve and develop real-time mental states monitoring systems for a wide range of application domains.

scholarly journals Combined Effects of Temperature and Toxic Algal Abundance on Paralytic Shellfish Toxic Accumulation, Tissue Distribution and Elimination Dynamics in Mussels Mytilus coruscus

Toxins ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 425
Author(s):  
Yunyu Tang ◽  
Haiyan Zhang ◽  
Yu Wang ◽  
Chengqi Fan ◽  
Xiaosheng Shen
Keyword(s):  
Tissue Distribution ◽  
Combined Effects ◽  
Mytilus Coruscus ◽  
Paralytic Shellfish Toxins ◽  
Rapid Elimination ◽  
Simulated Environment ◽  
Paralytic Shellfish ◽  
Algal Abundance ◽  
Effects Of Temperature ◽  
The Impact

This study assessed the impact of increasing seawater surface temperature (SST) and toxic algal abundance (TAA) on the accumulation, tissue distribution and elimination dynamics of paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) in mussels. Mytilus coruscus were fed with the PSTs-producing dinoflagellate A. catenella under four simulated environment conditions. The maximum PSTs concentration was determined to be 3548 µg STX eq.kg−1, which was four times higher than the EU regulatory limit. The increasing SST caused a significant decline in PSTs levels in mussels with rapid elimination rates, whereas high TAA increased the PSTs concentration. As a result, the PSTs toxicity levels decreased under the combined condition. Additionally, toxin burdens were assessed within shellfish tissues, with the highest levels quantified in the hepatopancreas. It is noteworthy that the toxin burden shifted towards the mantle from gill, muscle and gonad at the 17th day. Moreover, variability of PSTs was measured, and was associated with changes in each environmental factor. Hence, this study primarily illustrates the combined effects of SST and TAA on PSTs toxicity, showing that increasing environmental temperature is of benefit to lower PSTs toxicity with rapid elimination rates.

scholarly journals An Efficiency Enhancing Methodology for Multiple Autonomous Vehicles in an Urban Network Adopting Deep Reinforcement Learning

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1514 ◽  
Author(s):  
Quang-Duy Tran ◽  
Sang-Hoon Bae
Keyword(s):  
Reinforcement Learning ◽  
Traffic Congestion ◽  
Autonomous Vehicles ◽  
Penetration Rate ◽  
Autonomous Vehicle ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Urban Network ◽  
Learning Agents ◽  
Policy Optimization ◽  
The Impact

To reduce the impact of congestion, it is necessary to improve our overall understanding of the influence of the autonomous vehicle. Recently, deep reinforcement learning has become an effective means of solving complex control tasks. Accordingly, we show an advanced deep reinforcement learning that investigates how the leading autonomous vehicles affect the urban network under a mixed-traffic environment. We also suggest a set of hyperparameters for achieving better performance. Firstly, we feed a set of hyperparameters into our deep reinforcement learning agents. Secondly, we investigate the leading autonomous vehicle experiment in the urban network with different autonomous vehicle penetration rates. Thirdly, the advantage of leading autonomous vehicles is evaluated using entire manual vehicle and leading manual vehicle experiments. Finally, the proximal policy optimization with a clipped objective is compared to the proximal policy optimization with an adaptive Kullback–Leibler penalty to verify the superiority of the proposed hyperparameter. We demonstrate that full automation traffic increased the average speed 1.27 times greater compared with the entire manual vehicle experiment. Our proposed method becomes significantly more effective at a higher autonomous vehicle penetration rate. Furthermore, the leading autonomous vehicles could help to mitigate traffic congestion.

scholarly journals Impacts of Autonomous Vehicles on Greenhouse Gas Emissions—Positive or Negative?

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (11) ◽  
pp. 5567
Author(s):  
Moneim Massar ◽  
Imran Reza ◽  
Syed Masiur Rahman ◽  
Sheikh Muhammad Habib Abdullah ◽  
Arshad Jamal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Autonomous Vehicles ◽  
Significant Contribution ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Interval Estimate ◽  
Modal Shift ◽  
Vehicle Mile Travel ◽  
Emission Changes ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
The Impact

The potential effects of autonomous vehicles (AVs) on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are uncertain, although numerous studies have been conducted to evaluate the impact. This paper aims to synthesize and review all the literature regarding the topic in a systematic manner to eliminate the bias and provide an overall insight, while incorporating some statistical analysis to provide an interval estimate of these studies. This paper addressed the effect of the positive and negative impacts reported in the literature in two categories of AVs: partial automation and full automation. The positive impacts represented in AVs’ possibility to reduce GHG emission can be attributed to some factors, including eco-driving, eco traffic signal, platooning, and less hunting for parking. The increase in vehicle mile travel (VMT) due to (i) modal shift to AVs by captive passengers, including elderly and disabled people and (ii) easier travel compared to other modes will contribute to raising the GHG emissions. The result shows that eco-driving and platooning have the most significant contribution to reducing GHG emissions by 35%. On the other side, easier travel and faster travel significantly contribute to the increase of GHG emissions by 41.24%. Study findings reveal that the positive emission changes may not be realized at a lower AV penetration rate, where the maximum emission reduction might take place within 60–80% of AV penetration into the network.

scholarly journals Autonomous Vehicles and Vulnerable Road-Users—Important Considerations and Requirements Based on Crash Data from Two Countries

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 101
Author(s):  
Andrew Paul Morris ◽  
Narelle Haworth ◽  
Ashleigh Filtness ◽  
Daryl-Palma Asongu Nguatem ◽  
Laurie Brown ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autonomous Vehicles ◽  
Red Light ◽  
Road User ◽  
Red Light Running ◽  
Crash Data ◽  
Passenger Vehicles ◽  
Road Users ◽  
Vulnerable Road User ◽  
Vulnerable Road Users ◽  
Road Intersections

(1) Background: Passenger vehicles equipped with advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) functionalities are becoming more prevalent within vehicle fleets. However, the full effects of offering such systems, which may allow for drivers to become less than 100% engaged with the task of driving, may have detrimental impacts on other road-users, particularly vulnerable road-users, for a variety of reasons. (2) Crash data were analysed in two countries (Great Britain and Australia) to examine some challenging traffic scenarios that are prevalent in both countries and represent scenarios in which future connected and autonomous vehicles may be challenged in terms of safe manoeuvring. (3) Road intersections are currently very common locations for vulnerable road-user accidents; traffic flows and road-user behaviours at intersections can be unpredictable, with many vehicles behaving inconsistently (e.g., red-light running and failure to stop or give way), and many vulnerable road-users taking unforeseen risks. (4) Conclusions: The challenges of unpredictable vulnerable road-user behaviour at intersections (including road-users violating traffic or safe-crossing signals, or taking other risks) combined with the lack of knowledge of CAV responses to intersection rules, could be problematic. This could be further compounded by changes to nonverbal communication that currently exist between road-users, which could become more challenging once CAVs become more widespread.

scholarly journals INVESTIGASI PENGARUH KONDISI LALU LINTAS DAN ASPEK METEOROLOGI TERHADAP KONSENTRASI PENCEMAR SO2 DI KOTA SEMARANG

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 21
Author(s):  
Titik Istirokhatun ◽  
Ita Tetriana Agustini ◽  
Sudarno Sudarno
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Sulfur Dioxide ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Adverse Reactions ◽  
Meteorological Factors ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Traffic Light ◽  
Road Users ◽  
The Impact

The  presence  of  air  pollution  in  ambient  air  is  closely  related  to  the incidence  of  adverse reactions affecting human health. One of harmful pollutants and potentially major cause health problems is sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ). The number of vehicles that are passing and queuing on the crossroads  because  of  traffic light can  affect  the  concentration  of  SO 2 .  Besides,  in  these locations  there  are a lot of road users  which  are  potentially  exposed  by  contaminants, so information about the concentration of SO 2  is important to know. This study aimed to investigate the  impact  of  meteorological  factors  and  the  number  of vehicles  on  SO 2   concentrations. Impinger was used for air sampling, and pararosaniline method was used for determining SO 2  concentration. Sampling and calculation  of the number of passing vehicles were performed 3 times ie in the morning, afternoon and evening. Based on the results of the study, the highest concentrations of SO 2  were on the range of 15-21 mg/Nm3.

Road barriers: modern solutions for improving traffic safety

2021 ◽  
pp. 43-48
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Safety ◽  
Traffic Accident ◽  
Preventive Measures ◽  
Mechanical Damage ◽  
Road Accidents ◽  
Road Users ◽  
Urgent Task ◽  
The Moment ◽  
Energy Absorbing ◽  
The Impact

Improving the system of preventive measures aimed at reducing the severity of the consequences of road accidents is an urgent task. Road deaths are constantly increasing and there is a need for a comprehensive approach to creating safe road conditions. The purpose of this study is to analyze the promising designs of road barriers designed to prevent uncontrolled exit of vehicles from the roadway of the highway and to develop the design of energy-absorbing fencing. Barrier barriers must not only be safe for road users, but must also ensure their safety, as well as preserve the elements after hitting the fence. Analytical studies have shown that in order to reduce mechanical damage to vehicles and reduce the severity of injuries to the driver and passengers, it is necessary to develop a road fence design that allows you to extinguish the impact energy at the moment of contact between the car and the fence. Keywords: fencing, barrier, safety, traffic accident

The Role of the Conclusions of the Council of Judges of the Russian Federation in the Prevention of the Emergence and Development of Conflicts of Legal Interests in the Judicial System of Russia

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 56-66
Author(s):  
E. V. Ryabtseva ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Russian Federation ◽  
Judicial System ◽  
Structural Elements ◽  
Consistent System ◽  
Optimal Behavior ◽  
Regulatory Impact ◽  
The Russian Federation ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Individual Regulation

The growing role of the judicial community in reforming the judicial system actualizes the scientific problems of law enforcement associated with understanding the essence of the regulatory impact of the Councils of Judges of the Russian Federation as a body of the judicial community to prevent the emergence of conflicts of legal interests in judicial activity. The purpose of the research is to theoretically substantiate the essence of individual regulation of conflicts of legal interests by the Council of Judges of the Russian Federation, aimed at optimizing its activities to combat corruption. The worldview and methodological basis were the works of theoretical scholars and their methods of integrative understanding of law to substantiate the impact of the Council of Judges of the Russian Federation on judicial activity through individual regulation. The conclusion is substantiated that the activities of the Commission of the Council of Judges of the Russian Federation on Ethics, related to the drawing up of opinions on the assessment of conflicts of legal interests and other corruption risks for both acting judges and retired judges, is an individual regulation of legal relations through: interpretation of law; overcoming gaps and conflicts in the law; individuali zation of rights, etc. The content of the interpretation of law by the Commission of the Council of Judges of the Russian Federation on Ethics is: the application of certain norms of both international and national law in a specific legal relationship when assessing conflicts of legal interests among judges through a systematic interpretation of the norms of law as a system of elements, defining its role in law, identifying other norms, as well as the principles of law; interpretation of the principles and norms of law, through the legal-logical interpretation of a normative act as logically interconnected structural elements of a single, internally agreed and consistent system of principles and norms of law, when deciding on the presence of conflicts of legal interests in the activities of judges, etc. The paper substantiates that in relation to conflicts of legal interests, individualization should be aimed at determining by the Council of Judges of the Russian Federation typical situations of such conflicts for their correct assessment and development of recommendations related to the optimal behavior of judges, when circumstances arise that lead to conflicts of legal interests.

scholarly journals An IoT Architecture for Assessing Road Safety in Smart Cities

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abd-Elhamid M. Taha
Keyword(s):  
Road Safety ◽  
Markov Models ◽  
Smart Cities ◽  
Dynamic Assessment ◽  
Route Planning ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
World Health ◽  
Road Users ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
The Impact

The Safe System (SS) approach to road safety emphasizes safety-by-design through ensuring safe vehicles, road networks, and road users. With a strong motivation from the World Health Organization (WHO), this approach is increasingly adopted worldwide. Considerations in SS, however, are made for the medium-to-long term. Our interest in this work is to complement the approach with a short-to-medium term dynamic assessment of road safety. Toward this end, we introduce a novel, cost-effective Internet of Things (IoT) architecture that facilitates the realization of a robust and dynamic computational core in assessing the safety of a road network and its elements. In doing so, we introduce a new, meaningful, and scalable metric for assessing road safety. We also showcase the use of machine learning in the design of the metric computation core through a novel application of Hidden Markov Models (HMMs). Finally, the impact of the proposed architecture is demonstrated through an application to safety-based route planning.

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