Understanding Bicycle Dynamics and Cyclist Behavior From Naturalistic Field Data (November 2012)

As technology advances, motorized vehicles employ newer, more intelligent systems to improve drivers´ safety and mobility. The evolution of these systems is supported by increasingly accurate models for driver behavior and vehicle dynamics. Despite the significant role of nonmotorized vehicles such as bicycles in traffic accidents, the evolution of in-vehicle intelligent systems has no counterpart for bicycles. Part of the reason is that, to date, models for bicyclist behavior are absent and models for bicycle dynamics are limited. This paper presents a platform for collecting field data from bicycles and shows how such data can support the development of intelligent systems by offering novel insights into bicycle dynamics and bicyclist behavior.