Michael Manser – Human Factors Expert

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The Stakes are High

Fatalities on United States Roadways exceeds 44,000 deaths per year. To put this in perspective, the number of fatalities equates to the number of people on more than 105 typical 747 planes, on average, 2 planes each week…crashing.

Human Error as the Source

It is estimated that 94% of all vehicle crashes are due to human error. The source of human error relates to how we sense, think, and respond to the world around us. The perceptual, cognitive, and motoric factors can be influenced to improve or diminish transportation safety.

Research and Outreach

I am a human factors/transportation psychology expert that helps transportation stakeholders understand how to help drivers drive more safely. I lead approximately 60 staff in conducting transportation safety research, education, and outreach activities to improve transportation safety in Texas and nationally.

The work I conduct for transportation safety stakeholders is more than just an academic exercise…it is directly applicable to the real world. Outputs from my work can be found in GM and Nissan vehicles, in roadway signing technologies, and in safety education programs.

Racing

I have a passion for amateur car racing…particularly with vintage cars. I have been amateur road racing or involved in racing for more than 20 years. I have raced a Spec Miata, a Datsun 240Z, and a 1959 Austin Healey 3000. A key interest of mine is race car data acquisition which can be used extensively to understand drivers, vehicles, and race tracks.

One of my most memorable moments was being driven by Hurley Haywood in a Porsche at over 185 MPH.

The Importance of this Confluence

The domain of vintage racing provides me with a greater understanding and skill set for identifying and measuring driver behaviors and performance that can be applied to my research, education, and outreach activities for stakeholders.

About

I love how humans interact with the world. Understanding how we do this and the factors that influence this ability is a primary aim of the research I conduct for my clients. This research consists of observing people, conducting heuristic evaluations, or designing and conducting complex multifactorial multidisciplinary studies. I love the process of discovery.

Writings/Presentations

Publications, technical reports, presentations, abstracts, and proceedings are a useful indicator of how a researcher has impacted their particular field of study.

Projects

Throughout my career I have been awarded more than 70 projects totaling more than $33M. The sponsors of these projects are diverse and consist of state (e.g., Texas Department of Transportation, Minnesota Department of Transportation), federal (e.g., National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Federal Highway Administration), and private (Nissan, Toyota Collaborative Safety Research Center) funding agencies.

Vintage Cars

A central hobby of mine is working with vintage cars, particularly British sportscars from the 1950s and 1960s. My British cars have included Triumph’s, MG’s, and Austin Healey’s and my non-British sportscars have included Datsun’s and Nissan’s. In addition to owning vintage cars, I have raced them as well.