What role does physics play in researching transportation safety technologies?

phys·ics
ˈfiziks/
noun
noun: physics
the branch of science concerned with the nature and properties of matter and energy. The subject matter of physics, distinguished from that of chemistry and biology, includes mechanics, heat, light and other radiation, sound, electricity, magnetism, and the structure of atoms.
the physical properties and phenomena of something.
plural noun: physics
"the physics of plasmas"

However, that has little to do with researching, which is almost entirely a matter of library science.