Nicole van Nes

Nicole van Nes serves as Full Professor of Human-Centered Design for Smart Mobility at Delft University of Technology's Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, while directing the Delft Design Lab on Automated Mobility and holding a board position at the TU Delft Transport and Mobility Institute (TMI).

Her academic foundation combines a Master's in Industrial Design Engineering from TU Delft with a PhD in Social Science from Rotterdam University, enriched by research fellowships at Monash University Accident Research Centre in Melbourne and the Australian Road Research Board (ARRB) in Sydney.

Nicole's research centers on designing seamless human-technology interactions for mobility systems, with deep focus on smart mobility solutions that enhance sustainability, safety, and inclusivity. Her interdisciplinary methodology bridges engineering and social sciences to create user-centered transportation innovations that address real-world behavioral challenges and systemic inefficiencies.

Recent publications (2022-2025) reveal consistent advancement in human factors for automated driving, including driver fitness assessment frameworks, mode awareness interfaces, and naturalistic driving analyses. These works collectively pioneer safer transition strategies between automation levels while developing future mobility scenarios that prioritize human needs within evolving technological landscapes.

Scientific Awards: No specific awards are documented in the provided materials.

Nicole has led major European initiatives including UDRIVE (naturalistic driving data collection) and MEDIATOR (human factors in vehicle automation), with current engagements spanning the Automated Mobility Lab, MeBeSafe project (traffic safety behavior), and Taking the fast lane initiative (traffic congestion solutions).

As Director of the Delft Design Lab on Automated Mobility, she spearheads research integrating generative AI with mobility design while fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration through the Transport and Mobility Institute to develop inclusive transportation systems for diverse user populations.