Speed perception of two wheelers (e-bikes and bicycles)

Funding

Unfallforschung der Versicherer (UDV)

Duration

01/2013-12/2014

Description

In Germany, electric bicycles (pedelecs) have become highly popular over the past few years. Reasons for that are their potential to reach higher speeds and the reduction of cycling effort. While these are desirable effects, safety concerns have been raised. Pedelecs are, with regard to their design, hardly distinguishable from conventional bicycles. It has been argued that this could result in other road users misjudging the approach of an oncoming pedelec (e.g. at intersections) and subsequent unsafe behaviour, e.g. choosing rather small time gaps for crossing in front of pedelec riders.

Therefore, the goal of this study is to investigate drivers’ perception of speed of e-bike in comparison to other two-wheelers. For this purpose a series of experiments are conducted to time-to-arrival estimations (TTA; the estimation of time gaps between the road user and other vehicles) and gap acceptance behaviour (the gap a road user selects in front of or between other vehicles for turning or crossing) of drivers in relation to approaching two-wheelers, especially pedelecs and conventional bicycles. Furthermore other influencing factors like age of the cyclist, road gradient and drivers perspective are examined. Besides, the effect of measures for enhancing the visibility of the cyclists is considered on speed perception.

The task of the TU Chemnitz is to coordinate, conduct and analyse the experimental studies, which were implemented either on the test track or with video sequences in a laboratory.

Research report

Foto: Jakob Müller