Research and expertise
My research interests lie primarily in the areas of traffic flow modelling, traffic safety, decision making, advanced data analysis techniques (e.g., mathematical modelling, econometrics, machine learning) in transport engineering and pavement materials. Another aspect of my research is related to connected and automated vehicles whereby my area of interest lies in modelling mixed traffic flow of traditional, connected, and automated vehicles, understanding the safety of mixed traffic, and interaction between these vehicles and vulnerable road users (pedestrians and cyclists).
Current research activity
- Public transport mobile apps and the older population: barriers and enablers
Recently completed research projects
- Understanding barriers to the uptake of electric micro-mobility modes in India
- Next-generation traffic signals using artificial intelligence-based video analytics for safe, efficient, and green intersections
- Unifying traffic flow and traffic safety for safe and efficient roads
- A novel real-time risk assessment system for vulnerable road users at signalised intersections using Artificial Intelligence-based video analytics
- Understanding the impact of autonomous vehicles on driving behaviour and traffic dynamics
- Modelling the mixed traffic of connected, automated, and traditional vehicles
Recent publications
- Sodha, K. S., Hall, O., Ali, Y., & Ali, N. (2026). Understanding electric scooter safety through driver's lens using protection motivation theory. Cities, 173, 107017
- Hamid, A., Ali, Y., & Haitao, H. (2026). Can car-following models simulate vehicle-bicycle interactions? A benchmarking study. Journal of Cycling and Micromobility Research, 7, 100110
- Kashifi, M. T., Sharma, A., Ali, Y., & Haitao, H. (2026). Benchmarking intra-driver heterogeneity car-following models using a behavioural and numerical evaluation framework. Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, 205, 103399
Teaching
I contribute to learning and teaching activities at 色狗导航, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), the University of Queensland (UQ), COMSATS Institute of Technology, and National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST) since 2012. The following descriptions cover the brief content of courses and roles of My involvement in these courses.
Undergraduate
- Design Skills and Urban Data Analytics
- Research Methods and Digital Skills
- Urban Mobility
- Transportation Engineering
- Advanced Transport Modelling
- Traffic Flow Theory and Analysis
Postgraduate
- Modelling and Analysis for Urban Planning
- Transport Planning
- Statistical and Optimisation Methods for Engineers
- Probability and Statistics
- Traffic Engineering
Enterprise
Current projects
- Public transport mobile apps and the older population: barriers and enablers
Recently completed projects
- A novel real-time risk assessment system for vulnerable road users at signalised intersections using Artificial Intelligence-based video analytics
- Safety evaluation of right-turn signal phasings at signalised intersections
- Field validation of automated traffic conflicts identified through advanced video analytics
Profile
I have a Bachelor鈥檚 in Civil Engineering, a Master鈥檚 in Transportation Engineering, and a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, with specialisation in Transportation Engineering. My Ph.D. thesis focusses on investigating the effects a novel connected vehicular environment on the lane-changing decision-making behaviour.
I have worked as a research associate at the Institute of Transport and Logistic Studies, University of Sydney and a research fellow at Queensland University of Technology.
My current research focusses on joint modelling of traffic flow and traffic safety.
Professional affiliations
- Member, American Society of Civil Engineers, 2012 – Present
- Member, Committee on Traffic Flow Theory and Characteristics (AHB45), Transportation Research Board of the National Academics, USA, 2018 – Present
- Member, TRB ACP50-3 Subcommittee on Connected and Automated Traffic Flow, Transportation Research Board of the National Academics, USA, 2020 – Present
- Member, Institute of Transport Engineers, 2019 – Present
- Member, Engineers Australia, 2020 – Present
- Member, Pakistan Engineering Council, 2012 – Present
Awards
- Best Runner-up Paper Award (2025)
- Best Supervisory Team of the Year (2024)
- Best Early Career Achievement (2023)
- Best early career researcher award (2022)
- Best paper award by Transportation Research Board (2022)
- Best paper award by Accident Analysis and Prevention (2021)
External activities
- Keynote at Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST), Daejeon
- Guest lectures at University of Massachusetts, Lowell
- Session chairs at IEEE conference on Connected Vehicle Systems and Traffic Flow Operations
- Delivered a guest talk on connected vehicle systems in a dedicated section at Annual Meeting of Transportation Research Board
Key collaborators
My research and enterprise activities are conducted with a range of academic and stakeholder partners, including:
- Local road authorities, including Nottingham, Transport for Greater Manchester, Kent, Bolton, Buckinghamshire, Leicester and many others
- Consultancies like ARUP, AECOM, Arcadis
- Transport and Mains Road, Queensland, Australia
- iMOVE