bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factors, Effects, and Preferences on Vehicle Driving Modification for the Malaysia Independent Disabled Driver
Authors: Dahuri M.K.A.M. , Hussain M.N. , Yusof N.F.M. , Jalil M.K.A.
Published: July 2022

Assistive driving was known to be the important aspect in addressing the mobility limitation, particularly for a person with disabilities. Assistive product modification for vehicle driving, ranging from hand control, secondary control, foot control, and also the wheelchair assisted vehicle developed towards addressing the driving limitation differences according to a person types of disabilities. A pilot survey was conducted to 50 Malaysia independent drivers in Kuala Lumpur. The components evaluated during the survey include, types of modification used, aspects influencing the vehicle modification decision, problem occurrence when in use, as well as to understand the preferential decision differences. The Likert scale (1 to 5) will be used as the rate score given by the responses for each question within the component in the survey. The survey was used as the approach to gather the responses from the respondent. From the survey, it was discovered that aspect such as the disability condition, safer driving, and information availability are several major factors influencing the driver to make modification for independent driving purposes. The major factors were also discovered to influence the modification origin as preferences for driving assistance. The certain least important factors such as the involved body part movement limitation and price range must not be ignored as they also contribute to the improvement for the independent disabled driving.
Towards Autonomous Vehicle Implementation: Issues and Opportunities
Authors: Hashim H.H. , Omar M.Z.
Published: July 2022

This paper highlights the factors that should be addressed by any countries when considering Autonomous Vehicle (AV) implementation, along with issues and opportunities that may arise. AV is an emerging technology that has far-reaching applications and implications beyond all current expectations. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the relevant literatures and explores a broad spectrum of readiness factors, issues and opportunities in the aspects of legislations, litigation, liability, road and surrounding infrastructures, map availability, public acceptance, privacy and public perceptions. While the intention of AV implementation may be driven to address several road safety and road efficiency issues, the traffic mix between AV and non-AV at its initial stage of implementation may introduce a negative impact towards the overall road safety and traffic operations. A systematic framework in adopting and implementing the technology should therefore be established to ensure its objectives are met. This paper contributes to the literature on the fronts that it attempts to shed light on future opportunities as well as possible issues associated with AV implementation; and provide an overall guidance on fundamental factors to be considered before implementing AV.
Benefit Mapping of Anti-Lock Braking System for Motorcycles from India to Indonesia
Authors: G. Kumaresh  , T. Lich  , A. Skiera  , J. Moennich
Published: July 2022

Around 1.3 million people die every year on the world's roads of which 285,200 are users of motorised two or three wheelers. In Indonesia, the number of traffic accidents has also increased by an average of 13% annually (2009-2013). This leads to socio-economic loss of approximately 255,864 million rupiah (Rp). The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) analysis shows the risk of a motorcyclist (Powered Two Wheeler - PTW) being involved in a fatal accident is 20 times greater compared to a car driver travelling along the same route. This research reveals interesting facts about the Indonesian PTW accident situation through mapping the benefit of Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) for PTWs from India to Indonesia - although there is no in-depth data available to carry out thorough accident research study. One estimation is that every fourth accident with injuries involving a motorcyclist on Indonesian road can be avoided by a PTW with ABS (assuming a 100% installation rate of such device). This result is in line with other international studies claiming the avoidance potential of PTW with ABS.
Simulation of Vehicle Steering Angle and Lateral Acceleration in Mitigating Potential Run-Off-Road Crashes
Authors: Cham D.M. , Shanmugavel M. , Sampathkumar V.R.
Published: July 2022

This paper proposes and presents the preliminary results of an integrated safety warning system for road vehicles based on lateral g-force monitoring. The proposed system issues a warning to the driver when the lateral load increases above a threshold level thereby reducing the risk of run-off-road crashes and loss of control. From the vehicles dynamic model, soft and hard speed limits are obtained. When the soft limit is breached, it warns the driver using a LED, and when the hard limit is breached, assistive braking is activated. Simulations were conducted to obtain the safe vehicle speed for various steering angle to ensure the lateral g-force remains in the range of 0.7 and 0.9. Vehicle parameters of the Proton Saga 1.3L were used for simulation. Simulation runs to study the effects of changes in steering-wheel angle and vehicle speed on the variation of lateral acceleration was performed, based on which a safe speed is obtained. Simulations were also conducted on both banked and unbanked roads. The results of this study would help in the design of a working prototype of the safety system.
Single Camera Object Detection for Self-Driving Vehicle: A Review
Authors: Herman S. , Ismail K.
Published: July 2022

The development of technologies for autonomous vehicle (AV) have seen rapid achievement in the recent years. Commercial carmakers are actively embedding this system in their production and are undergoing tremendous testing in the real world traffic environment. It is one of today’s most challenging topics in the intelligent transportation system (ITS) field in term of reliability as well as accelerating the world’s transition to a sustainable future. The utilization of current sensor technology however indicates some drawbacks where the complexity is high and the cost is extremely huge. This paper reviews the recent sensor technologies and their contributions in becoming part of the autonomous self-driving vehicle system. The ultimate focus is toward reducing the sensor count to just a single camera based on the single modality model. The capability of the sensor to detect and recognize on-the-road obstacles such as overtaking vehicle, pedestrians, signboards, bicycle, road lane marker and road curvature will be discussed. Different feature extraction approach will be reviewed further with the selection of the recent Artificial Intelligent (AI) methods that are being implemented. At the end of this review, the optimal techniques of processing information from single camera system will be discussed and summarized.
Buckle Up! A Nudge for Car Occupant Safety
Authors: Md Isa M.H. , Mohd Tamrin S.B. , Mohd Jawi Z.
Published: July 2022

The seatbelt remains one of the most effective solutions in reducing vehicle occupants' injuries in road crashes. Nevertheless, achieving a high compliance rate in Malaysia, where the situation of not buckling up is glaringly evident among rear passengers, still poses a great challenge. On another note, despite manufacturers' countermeasure to introduce the Seatbelt Reminder (SBR) system, some users still find ways to flout the system by using fake clips.
Modelling and Simulation of Powertrain System for Electric Car
Authors: Fadul S.M.E. , Aris I.B. , Misron N. , Halin I.A. , Iqbal A.K.M.
Published: July 2022

It is widely believed that electric cars hold the key toward a greener mode of transport in the wake of an increased global energy consumption and greenhouse gas emission. However, on the downside, electric vehicles suffer from limited drive range and insufficient battery pack energy. Due to limited energy storage, effective power utility and energy efficiency are regarded as important for battery powered automobiles. To increase energy saving and provide better electric motor efficiency of an electric car, control algorithms such as field-oriented control strategy and space vector modulation can be used. This paper presents a study using Matlab/Simulink on vehicle parameters based on modelling and simulation of an electric car dynamics when integrated with an induction motor powered by Li-ion battery. It shall also describe a modelling of the electric powertrain leading to an analysis of on-board-to- wheel energy conversion. To achieve the model goals, the vehicle powertrain was simulated and the results further confirmed that both vehicle torque and speed correlate with an electric car acceleration index.
A Study on Gender and Vehicle Use in Relation to Awareness and Attitude toward Festive Season OPS
Authors: Mohamad N.A.
Published: July 2022

This paper shall examine the role of gender and type of vehicle most frequently used by road users (car and motorcycle) in relation to their awareness and attitude towards traffic enforcement. These two factors, namely role of gender and vehicle type, have not been fully understood especially in the context of enforcement efforts. The study includes analysis of survey data from a perception study on OPS Raya Aidilfitri 2016 traffic enforcement during festive season. Nonparametric testing and mean analysis were performed to determine any association between gender and vehicle with visibility (awareness) and attitude toward enforcement activities. The findings suggest that road users specifically car drivers and motorcyclists moderately agree with the effectiveness of such enforcement efforts. Male respondents and car drivers were considerably more aware of enforcement activities compared to female respondents and motorcyclists. In addition, females were found to be more favourable in their attitude towards enforcement compared to males. Gender and vehicle use significantly influenced road users' awareness and attitude to enforcement. Thus, the authority and agencies involved in traffic enforcement should consider strategies to incorporate these variables in order to increase effectiveness of enforcement efforts. For instance, enforcers may consider placing enforcement signage and conduct roadside checks in more strategic locations to increase visibility to road users.
Vehicle Localization Using Wheel Speed Sensor (WSS) and Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU)
Authors: Wan Azree W.M.H. , Abdul Rahman M.A. , Zamzuri H.
Published: July 2022

The advent of autonomous driving has led researchers toward a whole new technological age where vehicle positioning and localization system form the back bone of an autonomous electric vehicle. However, localization becomes poor as a vehicle enters GPS-denied areas due to multi path errors. Autonomous vehicle, in addition, needs to be localized from time to time and be guided on the right path along its destination. The purpose of this study is to overcome the problem of adopting an alternative method by using the vehicle’s Wheel Speed Sensor (WSS) for localization. WSS as an auxiliary sensor is attached to the vehicle’s wheel to track its position upon considering its travelling speed in a period of time. This is done in such a way that the existence of obscured portion along the guideway will be neglected. The data obtained from WSS are combined with yaw rate from an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) through Kinematic Modelling algorithm and then be converted to get the local position coordinates. In order to analyse whether the yaw rate produced by IMU is acceptable or not, comparison with simulation is needed. A Bicycle Model is used to generate simulated yaw rate from the steering angle of the vehicle and Kalman Filter estimates the simulated yaw rate to be close with the raw yaw rate. Therefore, this will clarify that the yaw rate obtained from IMU is acceptable and that true localization path is generated.
Monotonous Driving Environment along Highway and Driver Behaviour in Malaysia: A Review
Authors: Zainon M. , Zaly Shah M. , Chiroma M.A. , Kafi M.A.
Published: July 2022

Driver alertness, behaviour, and performance are central aspects of road traffic safety to achieve sustainable mobility. In addition, the type of environment where mobility occurs tend to affect drivers. Typically, monotonous stretches along highway deteriorate drivers’ vigilance thus leading to fatigue, drowsiness, and even crashes. Based on extensive review of related literature, this paper shall present the various issues of monotonous driving environment, countermeasures, as well as related research in Malaysia, aside from highway landscaping and other fatigue related road safety issues. Despite the significant amount of research on such issues, due to the current development trend and the highly motorised nature of Malaysia, there is need for more robust research especially in terms of countermeasure improvement and appraisal as well as development of monotony effect indices.
Authorised Service Centre vs General Workshop: Consumers' Preference of Car Maintenance
Authors: Abdul Wahab M.A.F. , Ibrahim M.F. , Mohd Latif M.H.
Published: July 2022

There are more issues surrounding general workshops (GWs) compared to authorised service centres (SCs) especially concerning consumerism. Regardless, GWs still hold equal market share and have sustained their businesses. This article discusses car users' preference of maintenance involving SCs and GWs. Additionally, current government initiatives and the future of automotive workshops in Malaysia are also discussed.
Vision-based Lane Departure Warning System
Authors: Ahmad Rudin N.S. , Mohd Mustafah Y. , Zainal Abidin Z. , Cho J. , Mohd Zaki H.F. , Nik Hashim N.N.W. , Abdul Rahman H.
Published: July 2022

Vision-based Lane Departure Warning System (LDW) is a promising tool to avoid road accidents. In practice, it is exceptionally hard to accurately and efficiently detect lanes due a variety of complex noise such as environmental variability. However, image processing techniques have shown promising and reliable outcome in detecting lanes during non- ideal conditions. Lane detection and lane departure measurement are two important modules in LDW system. This paper explores the gaps and limitations of the existing method in the past 10 years concerning lane detection and departure warning for LDW system.
Riding Hazards and Crash Risks Facing Malaysian Courier Riders in the Last Mile Delivery
Authors: Ibrahim M.K.A. , Ab Rashid A.A. , Mohd Jawi Z. , Mohamed Jamil H.
Published: July 2022

This study aims to determine the types of hazards and crash risks facing courier riders during delivery trips by recording the riding scenarios on their actual delivery route. A digital camera and a hands-free camera harness were used to hold the camera at the chest level to record the riding scenarios. Fifteen courier riders in the Klang Valley, Malaysia participated in the study. The final analysis reveals that a courier rider encounters 30 hazardous riding events and 5 near misses on average for each hour of delivery trips. Two-thirds of all hazardous riding events were instigated by road users, including the participants themselves. Interestingly, the participants' own riding behaviours contributed to almost a third (29%) of the total near misses. Obstruction of view was found to increase the odds of causing a near miss by 4.61 times compared to hazards related to driving behaviours of other motorists. Further, incidents related to lane changing or overtaking manoeuvres were found to have 7.81 times higher odds of causing a near miss compared to incidents related to braking or sudden stopping. The classification of hazards and risk assessment presented in this study should be seriously considered for better operation management and defensive driving training.
Effects of Fuel Ratio on Performance and Emission of Diesel-Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Dual Fuel Engine
Authors: Ismail M.M. , Fawzi M. , Zulkifli F.H. , Osman S.A.
Published: July 2022

Recent research breakthrough reveals that diesel-CNG dual fuel (DDF) combustion can potentially reduce exhaust emission of internal combustion engines. However, problem arises when knock phenomenon occurs producing high carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbon (HC) emission due to uncontrolled blending ratio of diesel-CNG fuel on specific engine load. This study will determine the limit of dual fuel ratio before knock occurrence while analysing performance and exhaust emission of an engine operating with diesel and DDF fuel mode. A 2.5 litre 4-cylinder direct injection common-rail diesel engine was utilised as a test platform. The models tested were 100% Diesel, 90% DDF, 80% DDF and 70% DDF, representing diesel to CNG mass ratio of 100:0, 90:10, 80:20 and 70:30 respectively. It was found that DDF engine performance was lower compared to diesel engine at 1500 rpm engine speed. At higher engine speed, the 70% DDF showed engine performance comparable to diesel engine. However, high HC emission with knock onset and a decrease of Nitrogen Oxide (NOX) emission were recorded. This study suggests the preferred limit of dual fuel ratio should not be lower than 70% DDF which will be able to operate at high engine speed without the occurrence of knock and poor exhaust emission.
Seatbelt Reminder & Anti-Seatbelt Reminder Device: “Antara Dua Darjat”
Authors: Abu Kassim K.A.
Published: July 2022

“Antara Dua Darjat” is a classic Malay movie written, directed, and acted by Malaysia’s legendary artist Tan Sri P. Ramlee. Loosely translated into English as “Between Two Classes”, this 1960 film chronicles the social class differences between two families; hence leading to endless misery. The author does not intend to elaborate on the two ‘social classes’ as depicted in the film, and would rather discuss ‘the two classes’ in the vehicle safety scenario in Malaysia; so that the latter can be deliberated and resolved in the best manner.
Effect of Surface Attenuation on Signal Propagation Analysis in Connected Autonomous Vehicle Communication
Authors: Fadzilla M.A. , Abu Bakar S. , Harun A. , Turner J.S.C. , Hashim M.S.M. , Wan W.K. , Ibrahim I. , Mahayadin A.R. , Rani M.F.H. , Efi N.E. , Md Isa M.H.
Published: July 2022

The advent of the autonomous vehicle has modified the landscape of modern transportation in the world. More sophisticated transportation requirement is emerging, notably in communication between vehicles to infrastructure. Robust and reliable communication infrastructure has become a crucial part of transportation criteria. The need for such a high quality of service communication drives for excellent preparation and planning in the communication process. As such, this research focuses on coming out with models to be used for advanced planning of communication processes between vehicles to infrastructure which is defined mainly by ground surfaces and objects around the roadways in Malaysia. Channel measurement around the testbed in Universiti Malaysia Perlis resulted in several interesting results that would shape the planning of CAV communication. It is observed that communication close to the ground requires high power consumption as the range is significantly reduced. It is also learned that certain ground surfaces allow for a different level of signal attenuation depending on the antenna heights. The research also found out that the attenuation profile follows strictly the log-normal distribution and as such certain planning could be made to reshape the communication process to cater to this.
Visual Performance and Motorcycle Safety-Related Impacts of Various High Beam Headlight Intensities
Authors: Prasetijo J. , Mohd Jawi Z. , Johari M.H. , Mustafa M.A. , Zhang G. , Ramli M.F. , Zulkifli A.F.H. , Hamid A.
Published: July 2022

In Malaysia, the three main types of motorcycle accidents include collision with passenger cars, collision with other motorcycles and single-motorcycle accidents. An accident may occur due to the lack of road design consistency and visibility where most drivers make more errors in the absence of geometric features. One of the most important barriers to the more frequent use of high beam headlight is the length of visibility of the headlight beam in relation to the stopping distance of a vehicle. Furthermore, it is crucial to evaluate the current limits on the luminous intensity of high beam headlights that is considered visible for a driver to come to a stop. Therefore, this first stage study summarizes and investigates the stopping sight distances, braking distances that allow for the evaluation of the vehicle's performance to increase the capability of both the driver and vehicle with regard to safety. A total of ten experiments were carried out with a passenger car, the Perodua Myvi, on a road within a local university. The results found that Stopping Sight Distance (SSD) could be used to determine the SSD graph by considering the velocity (v0), driver's perception reaction time (tR), coefficient of breaking friction (fT), gravitational constant (g), deceleration rate (a) and roadway grade (G). The study also concludes that SSD could be used to determine the SSD graph by considering the velocity (v0), driver’s perception reaction time (tR), coefficient of breaking friction (fT), gravitational constant (g), deceleration rate (a) and roadway grade (G). Ultimately, the study also indicates that the time to switch to hi-beam (Automatic High Beam – AHB) is at SSD distance (meter or second).
Establishment Procedure of Child Restraint Systems Reference List for ASEAN NCAP
Authors: Abu Husain N. , Mohd Zaki N.I. , Che Husin S.M. , Ahmad Y. , Abu Kassim K.A.
Published: July 2022

Babies and children below the age of 12 are the most vulnerable road users compared to older children (i.e., 12 years and above) and adults. To reduce the risk of severe injuries in the case of crashes or emergency braking, it is important that these groups of children are transported properly using age- or size-appropriate Child Restraint Systems (CRS) for as long as possible. As part of the ASEAN NCAP protocol, a so-called "CRS Reference List" that contains a sample of widely available, well-performing child seats in the ASEAN market was established to assess the vehicle's ability to safely and correctly accommodate child seats. The reference list should be reviewed every two years following a systematic revision process and published in ASEAN NCAP's website. In this paper, some shortlisted CRS identified in previous work would be assessed following ASEAN NCAP Child Occupant Protection (COP) protocol where the CRS performance is evaluated. The technical assessment is explained in detail in this paper, where several measurements taken during vehicle impact tests using several shortlisted CRS are shown. The final "CRS Reference List" would then be established by ASEAN NCAP following the systematic assessment process based on the findings and recommendations from this work for the future ASEAN NCAP COP assessment.
Evaluation of ASEAN NCAP’s Adult Occupant Protection on Body Region using Analytical Hierarchy Process
Authors: Sukadarin E.H. , Abdul Aziz H. , Suhaimi N.S. , Osman H. , Noordin M.N. , Shafiee I.
Published: July 2022

Global efforts in reducing road accidents were lead to the existence of a new car assessment program to ensure that the produced car may give life protection from traumatic death or injuries. Adult Occupant Protection (AOP), Child Occupant Protection (COP) and Safety Assist Technology (SAT) are domains used for the New Car Assessment Program for Southeast Asian Countries (ASEAN NCAP). Focusing on AOP domain, it is contributing for 50% of the overall rating system of ASEAN NCAP with a maximum 36 points from three main assessments: (1) offset frontal test (OFT), (2) side impact test (SIT) and (3) head protection technology (HPT). However, for this study, only OFT and SIT assessments are focused. Knowing that ASEAN NCAP is struggling to provide an accurate assessment of every new car evaluation. However, it is also important to ensure that the accurate assessment stays relevant. So, to what extend OFT and SIT may be giving protection to the car driver and passenger if there is any collision, need to be explored. Therefore, experts from various related industries were gathered in one expert panel meeting to brainstorm and discuss how OFT and SIT work and how robust they can be giving protection when an accident happens. Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) is used to analyse the experts’ input. Based on the finding, it is proved that the ASEAN NCAP assessment for AOP with considering OFT and SIT assessments were well developed and suitable to the current needs. In the future, cars on the road will become safer due to every party response to the ASEAN NCAP initiative positively.
Initiatives to Increase the Use of Vehicle Turn Signals
Authors: Md Isa M.H. , Abu Bakar S. , Mohamad Hashim M.S.
Published: July 2022

The failure to indicate the movement of a vehicle while turning or changing lanes through signaling may lead to a preventable collision. Due to lack of turning indicator usage among two and four-wheeler drivers, several initiatives, including behavioural modification programs and safety assist technologies, have been developed and implemented.
Comparing ASEAN NCAP Ratings between Editions of the Same Models
Authors: Mohd Jawi Z. , Abu Kassim K.A. , Nik Hassan N.W. , Tan K.S. , Daruis D.D.I. , Mohamed Ishak S.A.F. , Ahmad Y. , Johari M.H. , Ahmad Laili M.S.
Published: July 2022

From a total of 20 car models crash-tested by ASEAN NCAP, seven models from four makes have undergone ASEAN NCAP assessment twice, whereas two car models from two domestic powerhouses had undergone the assessment thrice. This study shall evaluate the improvements to the newer editions which supposedly led to better safety ratings. The focus is on the passive safety systems comprising airbags, seatbelt, and child seats. ASEAN NCAP star rating is mainly based on the Adult Occupant Protection (AOP) and Children Occupant Protection (COP) for passive safety as well as some elements in active safety. The ratings and points earned for the AOP and COP were compared between previous and newer editions of the same car models. An analysis was conducted as to whether or not the different editions used the same protocol. There is a difference between the inaugural and the latest protocols to assess both the AOP and COP. Cars using different protocols were analysed in terms of the chest deflection value, in which the value from the latest protocol shall be calculated using the previous protocol to obtain AOP scores and making the comparison. Overall, the new batch of car models was rated to be safer and mostly the newer edition of the car models obtained better COP scores compared to their predecessors.
Lane Departure Warning and Lane Keep Assist Assessment based on Southeast Asian Environmental Conditions: Preliminary Investigation
Authors: Mansor M.R. , Nurfaizey A.H. , Masripan N.A. , Salim M.A. , Saad A.M. , Tamaldin N. , Omar G. , Akop M.Z. , Majid M.H.A. , Maamor M.H.M. , Solah M.S. , Herawan S.G.
Published: July 2022

Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Lane Keep Assist (LKA) systems are part of the Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS), which are equipped in the latest passenger vehicles sold in the Southeast Asia (SEA) countries. Both technologies are very beneficial to gain improved safety performance for vehicle occupants and benefiting other road users such as pedestrians and cyclists by alerting the driver and making automatic trajectory correction when the vehicle is deviating away from the correct path while in motion. Nevertheless, there is yet any test protocol established by the New Car Assessment Program for Southeast Asian Countries (ASEAN NCAP) to evaluate both technologies tailored to the SEA’s environmental conditions. Hence, this is a preliminary investigation of the new test protocol developed for LDW and LKA based on SEA’s environmental conditions. The proposed protocol incorporated the effect of both dry and wet conditions, which is unique to simulate the main weather elements in the region. On-road tests using actual passenger vehicles were conducted using a rain simulator to simulate the rainy weather. The preliminary tests were performed on straight road conditions. Results show that the proposed protocol was able to assess the effectiveness of LDW and LKA in both dry and wet conditions. Further actions shall be carried out in the later stage of this project to validate the proposed protocol using other vehicle models sold in SEA that equipped with similar technologies.
A Support Vector Machine Approach in Predicting Road Traffic Mortality in Malaysia
Authors: Radzuan N.Q. , Hassan M.H.A. , Musa R.M. , Abdul Majeed A.P.P. , Mohd Razman M.A. , Abu Kassim K.A.
Published: July 2022

The traffic mortality rate is the baseline through which road safety plans of a country could be evaluated. A reliable and reasonable analysis of road traffic-related injuries and their leading causes is vital to the road safety investigation, evaluation as well as policymaking. Malaysia has the third highest fatality rate from road traffic accidents in Asia as well as in Southeast Asia. Although many researchers have attempted to provide predictive models of Road Traffic Mortality (RTM) in the country, the predictions are found to be rather unsatisfactory in forecasting the causes as well as the future road fatality. It is hypothesized that the inability of the previous models to provide a good prediction of the RTM might be attributed to the complicated and non-linear data relationship of the underlying causes of road traffic accidents. A Support Vector Machine (SVM) is demonstrated to be effective in solving both classifications as well as regression problems owing to its efficacy to cater for the non-linear relationship of a dataset. The present investigation proposed the application of SVM based model variations namely the Linear, Quadratic, Cubic, Fine, Medium, as well as Coarse Gaussian-based SVM in predicting the RTM. A dataset from 1972 to 1994 was obtained from the Malaysian road traffic database. The data were trained on the SVM model variations. It was demonstrated that the Linear-based SVM model can provide a reasonable prediction of the RTM with only a 12 % error. It is, therefore, inferred that a reasonable prediction of RTM in Malaysia could be achieved through the employment of non-conventional statistical techniques.
Rearward Visibility Technology in ASEAN Market
Authors: Meor Said M.A. , Mohd Sohimin M.H.F. , Abu Husain N. , Abd Rahman B. , Tuan Kamaruddin T.N.A. , Mohamad Jamil S.N. , Balaka R.
Published: July 2022

The recent trend in vehicle design tends to make thick roof pillar for stronger structure; which results in limiting rearward visibility. One of the ways to circumvent this reduced visibility is by using Rearward Visibility Technology (RVT). This paper aims to produce an overview of RVTs available in the ASEAN market based on classes and sub-classes. In summary, RVT is still in the introductory phase to the ASEAN region; as RVTs only been implemented by OEMs in several models, and aftermarket RVT products offer cost-effective prices but the performance in comparison to OEM’s RVT is yet to be known.
Development of Anthropometric Database for ASEAN NCAP: A Case Study of Malaysian Children Aged 6 Years Old
Authors: Mohd Zaki N.I. , Che Husin S.M. , Abu Husain M.K. , Abu Husain N. , Ma’aram A. , Jusuf A. , Carmai J. , Ahmad Y. , Abu Kassim K.A.
Published: July 2022

With the rapid growth of human populations throughout the globe, physical characteristics of human body composition may have significant variation, particularly in height and weight. Access to this information is vital for any product development programs, especially when it comes to safety aspects; hence it is particularly important to the New Car Assessment Program for Southeast Asian Countries (ASEAN NCAP) as the champion of vehicle safety in ASEAN region. This paper aims to describe the development of anthropometric database for ASEAN NCAP. Tasks such as identification of important anthropometric parameters, methodology of measurement and data analysis are explained. A total of 42 anthropometric parameters were measured using direct measuring methods; however only 8 parameters are discussed in this paper. As a case study, a total of 143 Malaysian children aged 6 years old have participated in the anthropometric measurement activity. Statistical information including the mean, standard deviation, 5th percentile, 50th percentile and 95th percentile for each parameter for various body dimensions were tabulated. The collected data and mean of 42 parameters are utilised further for the development of digital 3D-models (using SolidWorks) of the Malaysian children aged 6 years old.
Factors Influencing Car Purchasing Intention: A Study among Vietnamese Consumers
Authors: Phuong H.L.C. , Anh L.H. , Ab Rashid A.A.
Published: July 2022

This study explored factors influencing the intention of buying a car among Vietnamese consumers. This quantitative study administered questionnaire surveys to 242 respondents in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The linear regression analysis revealed five factors influencing the car purchasing intention: brand, perceived quality, technology, the performance of the car and customers' purchasing capacity (i.e. value and income). As the strongest contribution to the car purchasing intention, the car brand contributed the most to customers’ decision-making process. Surprisingly, consumers considered safety and security very minimally when deciding to purchase their cars. Concerns and potential benefits of the results were discussed from the perspective of consumers, manufacturers, and policymakers.
Design and Development of Stabiliser for Electric Unicycle
Authors: Azizi M.A. , Ashaari R. , As'arry A. , Hafiz M.R.
Published: July 2022

This paper presents the research on design improvement of a self-balanced electric unicycle model which is available in the market. The improvement work is focused on the stability and the ease-of-use of the electric unicycle. The selected method for improvement is the automatic support wheels. In terms of stability, the additional two small wheels at both sides of the unicycle increase the contact area perpendicular to the unicycle motion and thus reduce the tendency of toppling to the lateral direction. The additional wheels can be expanded and retracted by using a control system where it is suggested that the wheels fold out at riding speed lower than 10km/h and fold in at riding speed higher than 10km/h. These retractable wheels overcome the difficulty of travel initiation and stopping of the original unicycle. The experiment shows that by using the prototype, the users experience better stability when using the unicycle with retractable wheels compare to when using the original unicycle.
A Study on the Use of Child Restraint System (CRS) in Indonesia and Vietnam
Authors: Santosa S.P. , Gunawan L. , Jusuf A. , Arifurrahman F. , Akbar I. , Anh L.H. , Ab Rashid A.A. , Abu Kassim K.A. , Ahmad Y.
Published: July 2022

As technology develops in passenger vehicles, occupant safety is an issue that cannot be ignored, especially with regard to child occupants. Therefore, the child occupant safety should be given emphasis in the car assessment program to increase car safety levels and to primarily ensure children’s safety during travels. To this end, ASEAN NCAP through its child occupant protocol recommends the use of a Child Restraint System (CRS). This study evaluates the level of vehicle users’ awareness of the use of CRS (ownership and usage) in Indonesia and Vietnam. In this study, 336 Indonesian and 119 Vietnamese parents with children aged six years or below were asked to fill out the questionnaire both online and in written form. In Indonesia, the data showed that 70% of the participants owned CRS, while the rest either unrestrained or used the vehicle seat belts for their children. In Vietnam, 77% of the participants owned CRS. Moreover, there were approximately 26% respondents in Indonesia, and 9% in Vietnam who did not use the CRS. Parents did not use CRS for their children due to several reasons, namely children refusal and parents’ preference to place children on their lap. In Indonesia, only 58% of children used proper CRS according to their age group, and 35% of the parents installed CRS properly per the user manuals. In addition, more than 50% of the 28 surveyed vehicles in Indonesia were fitted with ISOFIX standard CRS attachment. Furthermore, it appears that there was high enthusiasm among parents to use CRS based on their willingness to pay for it. However, initiatives such as social awareness campaigns or even regulation should be considered to increase CRS usage both in Indonesia and Vietnam.
End-of-Life Vehicles (ELVs) in Malaysia: Time for Action to Guarantee Vehicle Safety
Authors: Abu Kassim K.A. , Abu Husain N. , Ahmad Y. , Mohd Jawi Z.
Published: July 2022

It is envisaged that by the end of 2020, the number of passenger cars ever registered will reach 9.97 million with further projection to 12.64 million by 2040. While most new cars sold in Malaysia have reached ASEAN NCAP's 4- or 5-star rating by improving their safety standards, we can still see aged cars on the road. If the ELV policy were to be enacted in Malaysia, not only the country's economy will flourish but also ASEAN NCAP's endeavours would surely be more fruitful. Nonetheless, the question remains; will there be any policies or regulations regarding old cars in Malaysia such as those implemented in developed countries? In the end, the public must be convinced that an old car with inferior safety features on the road can ultimately lead to a tragedy and should fundamentally outweigh the economic implications to the consumers.
Spine and Whiplash Injuries Related to Passenger Car Crashes in Malaysia
Authors: Zulkipli Z.H. , Mohd Faudzi S.A.
Published: July 2022

Spinal injury is one of the most devastating traumas that can be sustained in a motor vehicle crash. In passenger car crashes, the most common injuries related to the spine is whiplash injury or Whiplash Associated Disorder (WAD); however, the injury was relatively unknown in Malaysia. This study explored the possibility of elucidating whiplash injury locally by studying the insurance claims made by passenger car occupants involved in traffic crashes. The objectives of the study were to investigate the prevalence and to identify the injury pattern of the spine and whiplash injury. The data were collected retrospectively from closed files of the Third-Party Bodily Injury (TPBI) insurance claims database for the year 2013-2015. Each occupants’ injuries were extracted from the medical report and were classified according to the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS). A total of 500 cases of passenger car crashes were obtained from the insurance database and out of the total occupants involved, 866 injured occupants were included in the analysis. The results demonstrated that spine injuries have very low occurrence in Malaysia relative to other injury types, and whiplash-specific injuries are even rarer among passenger car crash victims in Malaysia. The most common vertebra level to be affected was the cervical spine, especially the C5-C6 vertebra, and this can be seen mostly for the drivers and front passengers. The low occurrence of spine injury is comparable to other countries, but the rare whiplash injury may indicate the ‘whiplash culture’ is not prevalent in Malaysia.
Micro Surfacing Asphalt Pavement as a Mitigation Measure at Accident’s Prone Area along East Coast Expressway Phase 2 (ECE 2)
Authors: Abdul Kadir A.I. , Rais N.M. , Mohd-Towel R.
Published: July 2022

The condition of pavement surface is an essential factor to be considered in mitigation of accidents in highways, as it is in direct contact with users' vehicles, especially in terms of quality of driving, skid resistance and friction. Lack of surface pavement maintenance may lead to accidents, and if taken for granted, it may witness high accident fatalities in the expressways. If the cause of the accidents happening on the roads is due to engineering factors, then adequate mitigation measures should be undertaken to avoid further tragedies from happening. One way of mitigating the accidents on highways is by conducting periodic maintenance of the roads and related highway infrastructure. Micro- surfacing is one of the potential measures, developed from a slurry seal technique. It is the process of applying a mixture of polymer modified bitumen emulsion with 8.0 mm chipping, quarry dust, cement, additives and water on an existing asphalt pavement surface. The current study was carried out to evaluate the performance of micro-surfacing as a mitigation measure, applied on the accident-prone pavement areas along the East Coast Expressway Phase 2 (ECE2). The Portable Pendulum Tester was used to evaluate the skid resistance performance while the texture depth of micro-surfacing was measured using the Sand Patch Test. The results showed tremendous improvement in the skid resistance and texture depth after the application of micro-surfacing. The number of accidents also reduced after the application of micro-surfacing asphalt pavement as a mitigation measure at the identified accident-prone areas along ECE2. Thus, the study confirmed that micro-surfacing asphalt pavement was effective in mitigating the accidents in accident-prone areas along ECE2.
Rider's Head Injury Risks in Relation to Dynamics of Motorcycle in Frontal Crashes
Authors: Jawi Z.M. , Tan K.S. , Risby M.S. , Ng C.P. , Loh W.P. , Abu Kassim K.A. , Ahmad Y.
Published: July 2022

Motorcycle frontal crashes usually cause serious and fatal head injuries to riders. This paper presents a two-level factorial experiment through finite element simulations of motorcycle-rigid wall impact scenario to investigate the effects of motorcycle layout design variations on rider's relative head injury risks, and also of the deformation mechanisms of motorcycle frontal structures on dynamics of the motorcycle. The motorcycle layout design variations were represented by the changes of three design factors, namely location of the engine block, location of air filter casing and its orientation. Head Injury Criteria (HIC15) based on a time interval of 15 ms were selected as the response variable to evaluate the effects of the corresponding changes. The analysis showed that HIC15 values were significantly influenced by the changes of these factors, with the differences ranging from -21% to +11% for seven different designs of motorcycle layout as compared to the original one. Such influences on HIC15 values were mainly due to the changes in motorcycle dynamics caused by different deformation mechanisms of the wheel, which was attributed to interactions between the frontal structures and the engine block and also air filter casing. It was also found that HIC15 values were significantly influenced by the vertical component of motorcycle accelerations, but not by the horizontal component. A regression model for predicting the HIC15 value was established and the effect plots of the factors were also produced from the factorial analysis and it was found that there were interactions between the effect of the design factors. The outcomes of the present study provide an insight into how the structural response of the frontal structures of motorcycles could be taken into consideration as part of design elements in reducing rider's head injury risks in frontal crashes.
Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns of Bacterial and Fungal Isolates in COVID-19
Authors: Khodashahi Rozita , Naderi Hamid Reza , Mohammadabadi Mosalreza , Ataei Reza , Khodashahi Mandana , Dadgarmoghaddam Maliheh , Elyasi Sepideh
Published: July 2022

Background: The pattern of bacterial infection in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients differ worldwide. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the patterns of bacterial infections and the antibiotic resistance profile by VITEK 2 (bioMérieux, France) in the culture of blood samples from hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Methods: This retrospective descriptive cross-sectional was conducted on a total of 25 patients with critical COVID-19 admitted to Imam Reza Hospital in Mashhad, Iran, during the first three COVID-19 peaks (2019 - 2020). Results: Among Gram-positive bacteria, two strains isolated from Staphylococcus aureus were methicillin-resistant S. aureus at a concentration of > 2 μg/mL. Enterococcus was vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus at a concentration of higher than 4 μg/mL (the minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC] ≥ 32). Among Gram-negative bacteria, three strains of Acinetobacter baumannii complex were extensively drug-resistant. Conclusions: There is evidence of the remarkable increase of various antibiotics’ MIC during the COVID-19 pandemic, which highlights the impact of the use of steroids on the risk of developing antimicrobial resistance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Comparison of the Effects of Allium cepa L. Extract Together with Insulin on Sperm Parameters in Diabetic Rats
Authors: Nikzad Hossein , Hookari Sara , Kamani Mehran
Published: July 2022

Background: In diabetic patients, uncontrolled blood sugar causes disorders in various systems of the body in the long term. The reproductive system is one of these susceptible systems. It is known that diabetes can adversely affect spermatogenesis. The use of medicinal plants in the treatment of various diseases has been discussed by many researchers for a long time. Onion, scientifically known as Allium cepa L., contains antioxidants. Insulin is also a drug used to control blood sugar in diabetic patients. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate and compare in vivo antidiabetic activities of hydroalcoholic onion seed extract together with insulin in diabetic rats. Methods: In this study, diabetes was induced in rats with streptozotocin (60 mg/kg). Fifty animals were equally divided into five groups: nondiabetic control (group 1); diabetic control (group 2); diabetic rats receiving streptozotocin plus insulin (group 3); and diabetic rats treated with 200 and 400 mg/kg of Allium cepa L. seed extract by gavage for four weeks (groups 4 and 5). At the end of the study, the prostate ventral lobe was removed and processed for histological studies. Next, sperm parameters from the tail of the left epididymis, biochemical parameters, and histopathological changes were analyzed and compared. Results: The sperm parameters of diabetic rats receiving 200 and 400 mg/kg of Allium cepa L. extract showed a significant increase compared to the diabetic control group. Conclusions: Administration of Allium cepa L. extract as a strong antioxidant was adequate to compensate for the toxic effects of streptozotocin and increase the motility of sperms.