Modelling street design in virtual reality
Project details
Full project title: Modelling street design in virtual reality
Sponsor: UWE Bristol (Research Investment Scheme)
Principal Investigator: Dr Jonathan Flower
CTS and other researchers/collaborators:
- Dr Luc Pellecuer, Senior Lecturer in Civil Engineering
- Dr Pete Kay, Associate Director - Energy Technology
- Andy Hill, Senior Technical Instructor - Digital Engineering Technologies
- South Gloucestershire Council
- Milton Keynes Council
Start date: 1 August 2023
End date: 31 July 2025
Project summary
The project aims to develop a proof of concept for modelling streets to latest guidance using the Bristol School of Engineering virtual reality environments. The key benefit of the project will be to allow drivers, pedestrians, and other roads users to simultaneously interact in a safe virtual environment.
The project seeks to establish a proof of concept that could then have research and teaching benefits, as well as tangible practical applications, through collaboration between the Centre for Transport and Society (CTS) and Bristol School of Engineering. The School of Engineering has driving simulators and other virtual environments.
By enabling drivers, pedestrians, and other road users to simultaneously interact in a virtual environment, this would enable the testing of street designs, such as new or innovative junction layouts, in a safe virtual environment before implementing them in the real world. It would also enable the comparing of different designs in terms of safety and comfort for different user types. Partner local authorities want to use the facilities when fully functioning to test potential street designs, especially those focused on enhancing pedestrian and cyclist priority in line with current regulation.