For thousands of years, scholars and thinkers have sought to understand why humans make certain choices and how to influence their decisions. Elisabetta Cherchi, NYUAD’s new professor of engineering, has figured out how to use virtual reality to study people’s choices and then translate those fickle desires into very concrete mathematical formulas that can help countries build more sustainable futures.
“My research is on the edge between engineering, microeconomics, psychology, and sociology because it has to do with how people make decisions when it comes to transportation,” said Cherchi, Professor of Civil and Urban Engineering and Global Network Associate Professor of Civil and Urban Engineering at NYU's Tandon School of Engineering in New York.
“Governments are spending a lot of money to see whether they can implement autonomous vehicles, for example. One of the questions is whether people will use them. What do we need to do for people to use them? Do they trust that there is nobody in the vehicle? All these things must be understood before the system can be implemented.”
Cherchi studied the use of autonomous taxis while in the UK. She plans to continue this research in Abu Dhabi, using real passenger data from the city’s existing self-driving taxis and the information she will gather in a virtual environment in an NYUAD lab.
The Italian-born professor just started at NYUAD. She’s spending her first semester building the state-of-the-art lab and writing the software and the curriculum for the UAE-focused research. This lab will provide immersive environments where participants can experience and interact with autonomous vehicles in a controlled setting.
Cherchi’s virtual reality work is unique because it uses technology to understand the factors that influence people's transportation choices, such as habit, social influence, and the characteristics of the transportation mode itself. This understanding is then translated into mathematical models and formulas that can be used to compare solutions, forecast adoption rates, compute users' benefits, and inform policymakers.
Her research on autonomous vehicles is particularly timely, given the growing interest in this technology worldwide. Autonomous vehicles have the potential to revolutionize transportation by improving safety, reducing congestion, and providing greater mobility options. However, their widespread adoption depends on public acceptance and trust. By studying how people interact with and perceive autonomous vehicles, Cherchi's research will provide valuable insights that can inform practical solutions for the design and implementation of this technology.
Cherchi, who has always loved math for its clarity and practical application, enjoys her field of research because she can positively affect people’s lives.
“There is a component I love more than anything else, which is not so much engineering. It’s more about people!” Cherchi said. “People’s movement is such an important part of their lives that by building practical transport systems, we can help make those lives better and contribute to a better world. At the same time, people choose how to move. If we do not build a system that meets their needs, they do not use it, which wastes resources.”
Cherchi is thrilled to work at NYUAD for many reasons, including an excellent group of colleagues, the University’s strong support for research, and the general excitement on campus.
“It’s fantastic to come to a place that is pioneering,” Cherchi said. “Being a new university, everybody is excited about their work and collaborating.”
