Transportation for Seniors in the Next Gentury, by Theodore T. Suh (MD, PhD, MHS), as presented within the 2018 January GWEP conference

1. Driverless Cars & Passenger Drones:
Transportation for Seniors in the Next Century
Theodore T. Suh, MD, PhD, MHS
Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
University of Michigan Medical School
4th Annual UCSD Interprofessional
Geriatrics Symposium
San Diego, CA / Las Vegas, NV
January 21, 2018
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From: https://i.ytimg.com

3. Objectives
• Review current research on driverless car technology,
especially as it relates to transportation for seniors.
• Review current research on drone technology, especially
as it relates to mobility and transportation for seniors.
• Review advances in current forms of public
transportation that could improve the lives of seniors.
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From: https://mcity.umich.edu
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5. Driverless Cars: History
• Experiments on automating cars have been conducted at
least since the 1920’s.
• The first self-sufficient and truly autonomous cars appeared in
the 1980’s:
o Carnegie Mellon University’s Navlab and ALV projects (1984)
o Mercedes-Benz and Bundeswehr University’s Eureka Prometheus Project in Munich
(1987)
• Companies & research organizations working on autonomous
vehicles:
o Mercedes-Benz ○ Audi
o General Motors ○ Volvo
o Continental Automotive Systems ○ Oxford University
o Bosch ○ Google
o Nissan ○ Autoliv Inc.
o Toyota ○ Mcity (University of Michigan)
o Vislab (University of Parma)
1/23/2018 5From: https://en.wikipedia.org

6. Driverless Cars: History
• In 2013, four U.S. states passed laws permitting
autonomous cars:
o Nevada! ○ Florida
o California ○ Michigan
• Countries planning to operate transport systems for
driverless cars:
o Belgium ○ Italy
o France ○ United Kingdom
• Countries that have allowed testing of robotic cars in
traffic:
o Germany ○ Spain
o Netherlands
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7. Driverless Cars: Mcity
• Mcity is first purpose-built proving ground for testing
connected and automated vehicles in simulated urban
and suburban driving environments.
• Mcity’s researchers, collaborators, and partners take a
multidisciplinary approach, considering all aspects of the
future of transportation and mobility, such as the impact
on business, infrastructure, and society.
• Basic stats:
o 65 industry partners
o $16 million invested in R&D projects
o 100+ students i& 50 faculty nvolved in Mcity activities
o 30 funded research projects
o 1500 vehicles in the Ann Arbor connected vehicle test environment – the world’s
largest deployment
1/23/2018 7From: https://mcity.umich.edu

8. Driverless Cars: Mcity
• Vision: to cultivate the diverse expertise and resources
required to realize the potential of emerging mobility
technologies, culminating in the implementation of a
working system of connected and automated vehicles in
Ann Arbor by 2021.
• Specific goals:
o Conduct research on new transportation technologies & innovations
o Show how new concepts & technologies can be integrated into a new mobility
system
o Use both off-road and on-road test beds to evaluate innovations
o Address social, economic, regulatory & policy issues key to implementing a
mobility system
o Educate new generations of students to continue the innovation process in
mobility
o Identify new business opportunities
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10. Driverless Cars: Mcity
• Test facility:
o 32 acres on U-M’s North Campus
o 16 acres of roads & traffic infrastructure
o Approximately 5 lane-miles of roads with intersections, traffic signs and signals,
sidewalks, simulated buildings, street lights, rotaries and obstacles (e.g.
construction barriers)
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From: https://mcity.umich.edu

12. Mcity Tour
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AU9oiaeaGH0
(~6 minutes)

13. Mcity Autonomous Shuttle Bus
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R37CiTtpbJw
(~1 minute)

14. LongROAD Study
• Prospective, multi-year research project designed to
generate scientific evidence for understanding the
dynamics, mechanisms, determinants, and
consequences of driving in senior drivers and for
developing effective knowledge to ensure safe mobility
for older people.
• Issues of particular interest to this project are those
related to:
o Medications
o Medical conditions
o Physical impairments
o Visual and cognitive functions
o Driving patterns
o Driving exposure
1/23/2018From: www.longroadstudy.org 14

15. LongROAD Study
• Other areas of key interest:
o Circumstances surrounding driving cessation (e.g., self-regulation, family
intervention, crash involvement, etc.)
o Mobility decisions and options for older Americans who no longer drive..
• Study sites:
o Ann Arbor, MI
o Denver, CO
o Baltimore, MD
o Cooperstown, NY
o San Diego, CA
• Leadership team:
o AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety
o Columbia University
o UMTRI (University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute)
o Urban Institute
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16. LongROAD Study
• Select physical performance measures and driving
outcomes in older adults:
o Systematic review that suggests that that two well-validated lower extremity
physical functioning measures were helpful in assessing driving outcomes in
older adults.
o Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) – lower scores associated with
reduced driving exposure and increased cessation.
o Rapid Pace Walk (RPW) – lower scores associated with decreased driving ability
in some studies and reduced driving exposure in one study.
o Timed Up & Go Test (TUG) – does not appear to be a useful measure of physical
functioning for driving outcomes.
• Synthesis of advanced in-vehicle technologies to keep
older drivers safe:
o There are varying degrees of usability and value of advanced in-vehicle
technologies.
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17. High Value In-Vehicle Technologies for
Older Drivers
Technology Use Perceptions Outcomes Overall
Value
Forward collision
warning/ mitigation
- Nearly all drivers always
keep the system on
- Older drivers pick longer
headways
- System rated
positively
- Some concerns about
false alarms
- Faster reaction times to
forward threats
- Potential crash reduction of
up to 20%
- Helps prevent crashes
- Little negative behavior
adaptation
High
Parking assist:
rearview display
- Most drivers always keep
system on
- 10-14% of glances go to
rearview display while
backing
- Warnings received at least
once per week
- 95% want system in
next vehicle
- 30% report frequent
unnecessary alerts
when there is nothing
behind vehicle
- Helps drivers notice
obstacles behind them
- Improves ability to fit
squarely in parking spaces
- 55% report system relieves
stress
- Combing backup video
display with obstacle
detection improves benefit
High
Parking assist: cross
traffic warning
- All drivers turn system on
- All experience alerts
- Considered useful
- Up to 1/3 report
unnecessary alerts,
mostly in bad weather
or with stationary side
objects
- Up to 15% report
failed alerts at least
once
- Helps prevent collisions
when backing up
- No changes in backing up
behaviors
High
Parking assist:
autonomous parking
assistance
- No information identified
in literature
- Positive ratings - Reduced mental workload
- Reduced stress
- Improved parking behavior
- Improved parking without
the system
High
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18. LongROAD Study
• Driving cessation & health outcomes in older adults:
o Driving cessation contributes to a variety of health problems in older adults,
particularly depression.
o Intervention programs to ensure mobility and social function are needed to
mitigate potential adverse effects of driving cessation on health and well-being of
older adults.
• Understanding older drivers – examination of medical
conditions, medication use and travel behavior:
o Multiyear study that will examine two existing databases to establish baseline
information about medical conditions, medication usage, travel behaviors and
mobility options for seniors who no longer drive.
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From: https://dronelife.com

20. Passenger Drones: History
• Also known as a drone taxi, pilotless helicopter or
unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
• In January 2016, the first commercially produced drone
capable of carrying a human was introduced by Chinese
entrepreneurs at CES 2016.
o McCoy, S. "Passenger ‘Drones’ To Carry People Thru The Sky.“ GearJunkie. 24
February 2016.
• In July 2017, Dubai started the world’s first drone limo
service using the Ehang 184.
o Lin, J & Singer PW. “Chinese passenger drones are doming to Dubai.” Popular
Science. 16 February 2017.
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21. 1/23/2018Footer Text 21
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tFG-uk3WcE
(~10 minutes)
7 Passenger Drones
• SureFly
• Ehang 184
• Hoversurf
• I.F.O.
• Project Zero
• Volocopter
• Airbus Pop Up

22. Future Directions
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Top 10 Future Transportation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQwnT1jqxw8
(~17.5 minutes)
• Autonomous Arrival Vehicle
• Hankook Uniwheel
• Hankook Future Car
• Hankook Biwheel
• TBS future bus
• Hyperloop Transport System
• Walkcar
• Trifan 600
• Next
• Luxury Cruise Airship

24. 1/23/2018Footer Text 24
Firefighting & Public Transport
in the Future
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDCM6AKD_ns
(4.75 minutes)
• Gyrocar and Firefighting Drone
• Gyrobus
• Gyrotrain

25. QUESTIONS?
1/23/2018From: https://gracepointwellness.org 25

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