Abstract
In this study, the safety and comfort level of personal mobility vehicles (PMVs) in pedestrian flows are evaluated. In the experiment, we used vehicles such as a conventional bicycle, a small-wheeled bicycle, and a compact, dynamically-stabilized parallel two-wheeled vehicle in mock pedestrian flows. To elucidate the safety and comfort of PMVs, questionnaires were used to gather drivers’ and pedestrians’ impressions of factors such as the difficulty of avoiding pedestrians and comfort level. It was shown that the compact dynamically stabilized vehicle had better safety and comfort levels in crowded pedestrian flows than did the other vehicles tested.
Keywords: pedestrian, safety, comfort, personal mobility vehicle, bicycle, pedestrian flows