James Sayer

As a research scientist in the Human Factors Group at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, Dr. Sayers has participated in both basic and translational research in the driver assistance and advanced safety systems development, naturalistic driving behavior, driver distraction, driver vision, and pedestrian conspicuity areas.

Dr. Sayer is currently the project manager of the U.S. DOT-sponsored program, Connected Vehicle Safety Pilot Model Deployment. This project aims to provide the U.S. DOT with data of connected-vehicle technologies in real-world environments in order to determine driver acceptance for the feasibility, scalability, security and device interoperability of these technologies.

Dr. Sayer has a plethora of experience in the area of driver assistance systems, overseeing four operational tests which involved several hundred drivers and over 1.2 miles of data. In addition, Dr. Sayer has conducted a sizeable amount of research on the effects of distracted driving (including the effects of cell phone use) as well as the effects of pedestrian conspicuity.

Service

Dr. Sayer is Chair of the University’s Institutional Autonomous System Committee, and is overseeing the development of a university-wide mobility education initiative. Previously he has served a variety of roles on the University’s Health and Behavioral Sciences Institutional Review Board, including Chair, Co-Chair, and Full Board member.

Awards

• 2015 White House Transportation Champion of Change, Award recognizing exemplary leadership in advancing transportation and championing innovation that will benefit our nation’s transportation system

• Intelligent Transportation Society of America, 2014 President’s Award, Connected Vehicle Safety Pilot Model Deployment Program

• Society of Automotive Engineers Excellence in Oral Presentation Award, SAE 2012 Government/Industry Meeting

• Intelligent Transportation Society of America, 2008 Best of ITS, Best Innovative Product or Service, Integrated Vehicle-Based Safety System Program

Key Projects

Dr. Sayer was the lead architect of the autonomous and connected vehicle test facility known as Mcity (2013 – 2015) having conceived of, designed, and overseen its construction. He has served as the Principal Investigator of the Ann Arbor Connected Environment (2019 – 2020), the U.S. DOT’s Ann Arbor Connected Vehicle Test Environment (2015 – 2019), and U.S. DOT’s Connected Vehicle Safety Pilot Model Deployment program (2011 – 2015).

Student Engagement

Dr. Sayer has worked with and supported more than two dozen post doctoral candidates, master’s students, and undergraduate students at UMTRI since 1993.