Mr. Zheng Xu
Dr. Zheng Xu
Zheng Xu received his BSc in Transportation Engineering from Central South University, China, in 2017, followed by an MSc from Monash Master’s Program in 2020, and a PhD from Monash Institute of Transport Studies in 2025. As a Research Associate in the Faculty of Civil Engineering at Monash University, his research focuses on the human factors in autonomous driving, safety analysis related to autonomous driving, and the environmental impacts and benefits of autonomous driving technologies.
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Transport Engineering, Central South University, 2017
- Master of Advanced Civil Engineering, Monash University, 2020
- Doctor of Philosophy, Monash University, 2025
Expertise
- Autonomous Driving
- Virtual Reality
- Human-in-the loop Analysis
Human-ADS Collaboration for Enhanced Safety and Efficiency in Automated Heavy-Duty Truck Operations – $A21,460.00
The freight transportation industry is rapidly adopting Level-3 autonomous driving systems (ADS) in heavy-duty trucks; however, inappropriate timing and execution of human takeovers in mixed human–ADS operations continue to pose significant safety and efficiency challenges, constraining large-scale deployment. This project addresses human–ADS collaboration by developing a safety–efficiency optimization framework grounded in human factors. A high-fidelity virtual-reality platform with multimodal physiological monitoring will be used to capture driver takeover behaviors. Machine-learning models will predict intervention likelihood based on cognitive load and situational awareness, while deep reinforcement learning will support adaptive, multi-objective optimization that balances safety, efficiency, driver heterogeneity, and real-time traffic conditions in collaborative freight systems.