Multimodal Alerting Interface with Networked Short-range Transmissions (MAIN-ST)

The connected vehicles program is a multimodal U.S. DOT initiative that uses a dedicated wireless communication technology to enable safer, smarter, and greener surface transportation. While significant efforts are being made to bring motor vehicles and transportation infrastructure onto this connected network, bicycles have been largely overlooked. As a result, a significant need exists to bring cyclists onto this network, both to enable other connected vehicles and infrastructure to be made aware of their presence, and to enable cyclists to take advantage of the safety and transportation benefits available when receiving information from other connected entities. To address this challenge, we are proposing to design and demonstrate a Multimodal Alerting Interface with Networked Short‐range Transmissions (MAIN‐ST). MAIN‐ST will bring cyclists onto the vehicle to vehicle (V2V) and vehicle to infrastructure (V2I) networks using a hardware‐agnostic approach, whereby a commercially available DSRC radio and optionally deployable state‐sensing hardware can be deployed to generate a robust basic safety message for bicycles (BSM‐B). In addition, MAIN‐ST allows cyclists to take advantage of being on these networks by providing automated hazard assessment capabilities with a multimodal alerting symbology designed to communicate hazard information to cyclists in an intuitive and non‐distracting format.