Natasha Merat
Natasha Merat obtained a BSc (Hons) in Physiology in 1993 and a PhD in Psychology in 1999. Her PhD investigated the role of working memory in sound localization, examining human performance in dual or multi-task situations (supervised by John Groeger). She joined the Institute for Transport Studies in March 2002, and has been leader of the Safety and Technology Group in ITS since 2009. Her research interests are broadly concerned with understanding the safe interaction of train and car drivers with new technologies and she has had a pivotal role in a series of European and UK studies on this topic. Recent examples include the EU project HASTE concerned with developing methodologies and guidelines for the assessment of In-Vehicle Information Systems (IVIS), and AIDE, which examined the knowledge and methodologies required for the safe and efficient integration of ADAS, IVIS and nomadic devices into the driving environment. Natasha’s recent research has focused on understanding the effect of highly automated vehicles on driver behaviour and safety, and she is currently guest Associate Editor to a special issue of the Human Factors journal on Automation in Vehicles. She is Working Party Member of the Rail Safety section of the UK Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) and a member of the Cognitive Section of the British Psychological Society, for which she was Treasurer between 2000 and 2004.