US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Associate Administrator for Vehicle Safety Research Nat Beuse visited BGU on Tuesday. The purpose of the visit was to explore future research collaborations.
BGU has an advanced and active group of transportation researchers who examine current and future issues in transportation and road safety. From human factors to autonomous vehicles to haptics, the University’s researchers are at the forefront of the field.
Beuse explained to Rector Prof. Zvi HaCohen that one of their successful new initiatives was to create research centers of excellence at select universities. So far, he said, the NHTSA has created centers at the University of Michigan, Virginia Tech and Duke University. One of the purposes of his visit to Israel and to BGU in particular, he said, was to explore the possibility of creating such a center. HaCohen assured Beuse that such a center would fit right in with the University’s focus and would find a good home at the Advanced Technologies Park adjacent to the University. HaCohen provided a general overview of BGU and its research strengths, emphasizing the University’s close ties with the Negev region and its mandate to cater to the area’s diverse populations.
Beuse also met with Prof. Hillel Bar-Gera and Dr. Avinoam Borowsky of the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management who presented their research. Bar-Gera presented an in-vehicle traffic signal warning system which they plan to test at five traffic lights in Beer-Sheva. Borowsky discussed the challenges posed by driving automation. The first self-driving cars are beginning to hit the road in the US and pose a raft of new challenges.
Beuse also visited Prof. Hugo Guterman’s Laboratory for Autonomous Robotics before continuing on to the ATP to meet with Roni Zehavi, the CEO of CyberSpark Industry Initiative, and representatives of SecBI and BaseCamp.
As Associate Administrator for Vehicle Safety Research at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Beuse is responsible for NHTSA’s vehicle safety research activities which are focused on achieving the agency’s mission of reducing fatalities and injuries caused by motor vehicle crashes. This includes developing and conducting research aimed at supporting Federal motor vehicle safety standards and consumer information programs, spurring voluntary industry actions through guidelines, and advancing the state of the art on wide variety of vehicle programs. Mr. Beuse is also responsible for the establishment and conduct of new research initiatives such as vehicle automation, vehicle electronics and cybersecurity, advanced biomechanics, improved frontal crash protection, and heavy vehicle safety.
