Research Projects
Policy Innovation Lab
1. Real-time AI-enabled Optimized Motion Planning of Connected Autonomous Vehicles in Urban Transportation Networks
Project Description
Key features in future transportation systems are expected to include autonomy, connectivity and electrification. Planned industry investments of 100s of billions of dollars point to future autonomous and smart transportation systems, where safety, mobility, and comfort are greatly improved, and fuel consumption and pollution are significantly reduced. This project will develop motion planning optimization techniques for a system of connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs). This will be done in order to ensure both safety (first and foremost) and smooth driving without excessive delay with an eye towards saving energy and reducing costs associated with congestion. Safety is achieved by imposing strict constraints based on safety requirements. In very rare events, life and death decisions are made by a CAV that dictate trajectory decisions in such events that are part of motion planning. A public survey will be performed to understand society acceptance of such decisions. This projected is funded by CityU Strategic Interdisciplinary Research Grant.
Investigators
- Prof. ZUKERMAN Moshe (EE)
- Prof. Richard M WALKER (PIA)
- Dr. ZHANG Zijun (SDSC)
- Dr. YANG Zhengbao (MNE)
- Dr. WEN Wen (PIA)
2. Diffusion mechanisms and promoting policies for electric vehicles considering the social network effects
Project Description
Transportation decarbonization is a critical path towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals, while electric mobility plays a significant role in this field. With great governmental support by a variety of policy tools, China’s electric vehicle (EV) industry has developed rapidly during the last decade. However, it is claimed that some of the policy tools may not work effectively or efficiently due to poor design of the policy mix. Scholars call for timely study on the adoption and diffusion mechanisms of EV to support effective policy designs facilitating speedy EV market diffusion, while the complexity of social network effect brings challenges to this academic stream. Applying consumer behavior theory and social network theory, this project aims to study EV adoption and diffusion mechanisms by using survey experiments, decision models, system simulations and other scientific methods. At the micro level, social influences on individual’s EV adoption behavior will be analyzed. At the macro level, social network impacts on EV diffusion process will be studied. By integrating studies from both the micro and macro levels, we try to propose effective policy designs working on critical points and paths for accelerating China’s EV diffusion. This project is funded by the NSFC at the China University of Petroleum
Investigators
- Prof. Richard M WALKER (PIA)
- Dr. WEN Wen (PIA)
Computational Social Sciences and Law Lab
Governance and Compliance in the Post-Pandemic Normal: A Comparative Panel Study
Project Description
The pandemic has generated infodemic, distorted trust towards science, and contested global connectivity. Policy and scientific communities have begun exploring incentives and mechanisms to reboot the economy and reinvigorate society. But perceived risk, technical innovation, and public health measures infer that the world will not return to ground zero. It becomes imperative to examine the attitudinal changes to adopt compliance behaviors in the post-pandemic period. This project was built on two-wave of original data in the outset and peak of the pandemic in May 2020 and May 2021. It provides baseline and panel data to compare the main effects of the pandemic across different time points. It also explores the variations between eight developed economies in East and West over time. Methodologically, it triangulates panel design and survey experiments to validate causal inferences from the observations. This project will contribute to the theoretical discussion of risk management and social resilience. It will also generate knowledge and practices for various stakeholders to make adjustments and innovations in the post-pandemic era. This project is funded by CityU Strategic Interdisciplinary Research Grant.
Investigators
- Dr. Edmund CHENG (PIA)
- Dr. Wai-Kit MING, (PH)
- Dr. Fen LIN (COM)
- Prof. Richard M WALKER (PIA)
- Dr. Kin-Man WAN (CPAL)