New step in bicycle safety research

Today, Matthijs de Vries, deputy of the province of Friesland, officially opened a new cycling simulator at our faculty. The simulator enables researchers to study cycling behaviour in various traffic situations within a safe environment. The development of the simulator was made possible thanks to a financial contribution of half a million euros from the Province of Friesland. 

The cycling simulator allows researchers to gain insight into how people cycle. It provides the opportunity to realistically immerse a cyclist in traffic alongside other road users. This makes it possible to assess the effects of ageing as well as physical and mental impairments on cycling behaviour.

Dick de Waard: "Developments such as e-bikes, the use of mobile devices, and interaction with new autonomous vehicles also call for thorough research into cyclist behaviour and traffic safety. This simulator is one of the tools that enables us to do this safely – and more realistically – as the bicycle can lean just like in real life.”

Background on bicycle safety
In recent years, the number of accidents involving cyclists has risen sharply. In 2022, in the Netherlands 291 cyclists lost their lives – 84 more than the year before, and the highest number since 1996. The number of seriously injured traffic victims is also increasing, especially among older cyclists (65+). This rise in incidents has underscored the urgency of implementing effective safety measures.

Collaboration
The cycling simulator is the result of a collaboration between researchers at the University of Groningen and TU Delft. TU Delft researchers Jan van Frankenhuyzen, Linda van der Spaa, Heike Vallery, Arend Schwab, Riender Happee and Christina Kohler contributed significantly to the development work. From the University of Groningen, Dick de Waard, Bastiaan Sporrel and Arjan Stuiver played a key role in bringing the simulator to life.

For more information:
Dick de Waard