Research Associate in the field of Transport planning and Mobility (Post

at  LISER

JOB DESCRIPTION

Value of travel time, or interchangeably, value of time (VOT) has been a crucial instrument for travel demand modeling, travel behavior analytics, transport policy, and investment evaluation. With the introduction of autonomous modes, such as autonomous vehicles (AVs), but also autonomous Urban Air Mobility (UAM), the perception of VOT is fundamentally changed as AVs enable individuals the capability of performing multiple tasks while traveling. VOTAVI aims at defining a novel methodological framework for the estimation of VOT in the era of AVs, utilizing innovative data collection methods that would allow to explore more thoroughly the impact of latent personal characteristics on their choices. VOTAVI will systematically examine, based on a critical assessment of the current state of the art of value of timing research and offer innovative improvements that reflect emerging lifestyles, technological breakthroughs, and new mobility concepts in different activity contexts. VOTAVI goal is twofold: a) provide an exploration of these factors by the creation of a series of surveys that would investigate the value of travel time in a novel use of both revealed preference (RP) and stated preference (SP); and b) explore the potential of novel data collection techniques (Smartphone Apps) to provide a more thorough investigation for the exploration of VOT changes.
The research project is supported by FNR (Luxembourg National Research Fund) and DFG (Germany Research foundation). It’s an international collaboration between LISER and the Technical University of Munich (the Chair of Transportation Systems Engineering).

The successful candidate will be tasked to:

• Develop theoretical and methodological framework for the value of travel time estimation considering automated vehicles impacts ;
• Design original best-worst scaling experiments and stated preference choice experiments; design questionnaires and collaborate with LISER’s survey team ;
• Analyze the survey data ;
• Develop models for the adoption of emerging modes using discrete choice modeling approaches ;
• Collaborate with the project partner at TUM and write academic papers and present the results in national/international conferences.