Anuj K Pradhan

Assistant Professor; Co-Director, Human Performance Laboratory
University of Massachusetts Amherst

Research and Background

Broadly, Professor Pradhan is interested in the etiology of injuries and fatalities due to motor vehicle crashes from a human factors and behavioral standpoint. His group’s research goals include uncovering and disseminating evidence that can contribute to the safe mobility of road users, that can inform policy, and that can lead to technological and educational innovations for improving the road safety record. More specifically, his research covers driver behavior and traffic safety with a focus on: the impact of Advanced Vehicle Technologies on Driver Behavior and Safety; the human factors of vehicle automation including driver response, trust and acceptance, and User Interfaces; Driver age characteristics, including young and novice drivers; vulnerable road users; training and education; and intervention development. From a methodological standpoint, the group conducts research using analytical approaches, as well as experimental approaches such as driving simulation, test tracks, and naturalistic field studies. He has recently conducted simulator and field experiments to examine driver behavior with vehicle automation, to study the evolution of drivers' trust in Advanced Vehicle Technologies, and to investigate the role of Mental Models in users' understanding and acceptance of advanced vehicle technologies and vehicle automation. His previous work has been funded by industry, federal and state grants, and by foundations.