UWindsor professor earns international fellowship to shape the future of human–AI driving research

Kinesiology Prof. Francesco Biondi meets with the French research team in Lyon.

[Photo courtesy of Francesco Biondi]

A University of Windsor kinesiology professor has earned an international fellowship to advance research into the relationship between human drivers and self-driving cars. 

Through the Mourou-Strickland Mobility Program, an initiative designed by the French Embassy in Canada, Francesco Biondi will collaborate with a researcher at the University of Lyon in France. 

“This fellowship will lay the foundation for a successful research collaboration that tackles high-impact research topics at the intersection of artificial intelligence, neuroscience and autonomous driving,” says Dr. Biondi. 

This innovative collaboration will be between Biondi, an associate professor in transportation human factors at the University of Windsor, and cognitive science professor and neuroergonomics expert, Jordan Navarro.  

“Neuroergonomics would look at possibly using brain sensors for example, so if the brain activity shows that the driver is indeed distracted or fatigued, this information would then be communicated to the vehicle,” says Biondi. 

“That in turn would take over some of the driving tasks to make sure that if the driver is indeed distracted, they're not going to get into a crash.” 

Biondi visited France and met Dr. Navarro’s team and learned about their capabilities and interests.  

“AI and autonomous driving are becoming more commonplace in France and Canada, yet little is known about the impact that using this technology will have on the efficiency and safety of human operations, especially in risk-prone fields like transportation and healthcare,” he says. 

Biondi also received a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Destination Horizon grant to pursue the international collaboration. 

“This partnership not only will strengthen the mutual collaborations between two recognized scientists with strong records of conducting high-impact research, but it has the potential to further advance the development and adoption of AI and transportation technology that is effective and safe for everyone,” he says. 

The main campus of the Université Lumière Lyon 2. [Photo courtesy of Francesco Biondi]

By furthering France’s and Canada’s quest for more human- centred AI, says Biondi, this research project fits within France’s goal of becoming the first ecosystem for AI in Europe and Canada’s Global Health and Wellness for the 21st Century Challenge. 

By Sara Elliott

Courtesy: https://www.uwindsor.ca/news/2025-10-20/uwindsor-professor-earns-international-fellowship-shape-future-human%E2%80%93ai-driving-research