Horizontal Curve Driving Performance and Safety Affected by Road Geometry and Lead Vehicle

2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 1629-1633 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heejin Jeong ◽  
Yili Liu
Keyword(s):  
Driving Performance ◽  
Driving Safety ◽  
Steering Wheel ◽  
Horizontal Curve ◽  
Car Following ◽  
Road Geometry ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Lane Position ◽  
Lane Keeping ◽  
Lead Vehicle

To help enhance safety and reduce crashes occurred on horizontal curved roads, it is important to understand their potential causes. The study reported in this paper aimed to examine the effects of road geometry (i.e., road curvature and curve direction) and lead vehicle on horizontal curve driving performance. Twenty-four participants performed two driving tasks (i.e., car-following and free- flow conditions) in simulated driving scenarios including curved roads in both right and left directions to measure their driving performance (e.g., speed, lane position, steering wheel angle, and time and distance headways). The results showed that road curvature affected driving performance, especially in mean speed, variability of lane-keeping performance, and headway. Moreover, the mean speed was affected by both road curvature and whether a lead vehicle existed. Findings from this study provide empirical data that can be used for driving safety on horizontal curved roads.

scholarly journals Development and Testing of a Methodology for the Assessment of Acceptability of LKA Systems

Machines ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Salvati ◽  
Matteo d’Amore ◽  
Anita Fiorentino ◽  
Arcangelo Pellegrino ◽  
Pasquale Sena ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Force Feedback ◽  
Feedback System ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Experimental Methodology ◽  
Driving Safety ◽  
Steering Wheel ◽  
Human In The Loop ◽  
Automation Systems ◽  
Driving Stability ◽  
Lane Keeping

In recent years, driving simulators have been widely used by automotive manufacturers and researchers in human-in-the-loop experiments, because they can reduce time and prototyping costs, and provide unlimited parametrization, more safety, and higher repeatability. Simulators play an important role in studies about driver behavior in operating conditions or with unstable vehicles. The aim of the research is to study the effects that the force feedback (f.f.b.), provided to steering wheel by a lane-keeping-assist (LKA) system, has on a driver’s response in simulators. The steering’s force feedback system is tested by reproducing the conditions of criticality of the LKA system in order to minimize the distance required to recover the driving stability as a function of set f.f.b. intensity and speed. The results, obtained in three specific criticality conditions, show that the behaviour of the LKA system, reproduced in the simulator, is not immediately understood by the driver and, sometimes, it is in opposition with the interventions performed by the driver to ensure driving safety. The results also compare the performance of the subjects, either overall and classified into subgroups, with reference to the perception of the LKA system, evaluated by means of a questionnaire. The proposed experimental methodology is to be regarded as a contribution for the integration of acceptance tests in the evaluation of automation systems.

Occlusion Paradigm as a Tool to Assess Visual Distraction from In-Vehicle Telematics

2002 ◽  
Vol 46 (22) ◽  
pp. 1863-1867 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tracy L. Frank ◽  
Y. Ian Noy ◽  
Christopher Klachan
Keyword(s):  
Rating Scale ◽  
Driving Performance ◽  
Performance Standard ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Search Tasks ◽  
Mental Demand ◽  
Task Assessment ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Lane Position ◽  
Task Conditions

Driver distraction associated with the use of on-board ITS technologies has become an issue of considerable public concern. The ease with which a task can be partitioned, referred to as task chunkability, can likely be a tool to assess the distraction potential of a secondary in-vehicle task to a driver. The present study explored the role of task chunking on distraction. Twenty-four participants, between the ages of 21 and 34, completed two separate experimental sessions. In one session they performed three in-vehicle tasks (a radio-tuning task and two simulated ITS device visual search tasks) under occlusion and while unoccluded. A task chunkability index, a ratio of the mean total shutter open time to the mean unoccluded total task time, was computed for each task. In another session, participants completed the same in-vehicle tasks while driving in a simulator at an approximate speed of 80 km/h, without occlusion. Measures of driving performance (standard deviation of lane position, the number and duration of lane exceedances, and the time to line crossing) under dual task conditions were related to corresponding chunkability indices to determine the association between task chunkability and driving performance. Results indicated that tasks differed significantly in terms of chunkability, however no differences were observed between tasks for the driving performance measures collected. A modified NASA TLX rating scale was also used to assess subjective workload for each task when performed alone and while driving. Significant differences were found between tasks in terms of mental demand, effort, frustration, and safety for both task assessment conditions. Results and implications for future research are discussed.

scholarly journals Classification of Fatigued and Drunk Driving Based on Decision Tree Methods: A Simulator Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. 1935 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Yao ◽  
Xiaohua Zhao ◽  
Hongji Du ◽  
Yunlong Zhang ◽  
Guohui Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Tree ◽  
Regression Tree ◽  
Drunk Driving ◽  
Driving Performance ◽  
Classification And Regression Tree ◽  
Vehicle Speed ◽  
Road Geometry ◽  
Lane Position ◽  
Straight Segments

It is a commonly known fact that both alcohol and fatigue impair driving performance. Therefore, the identification of fatigue and drinking status is very important. In this study, each of the 22 participants finished five driving tests in total. The control condition, serving as the benchmark in the five driving tests, refers to alert driving. The other four test conditions include driving with three blood alcohol content (BAC) levels (0.02%, 0.05%, and 0.08%) and driving in a fatigued state. The driving scenario included straight and curved roads. The straight roads connected the curved ones with radii of 200 m, 500 m, and 800 m with two turning directions (left and right). Driving performance indicators such as the average and standard deviation of longitudinal speed and lane position were selected to identify drunk driving and fatigued driving. In the process of identification, road geometry (straight segments, radius, and direction of curves) was also taken into account. Alert vs. abnormal and fatigued vs. drunk driving with various BAC levels were analyzed separately using the Classification and Regression Tree (CART) model, and the significance of the variables on the binary response variable was determined. The results showed that the decision tree could be used to distinguish normal driving from abnormal driving, fatigued driving, and drunk driving based on the indexes of vehicle speed and lane position at curves with different radii. The overall accuracy of classification of “alert” and “abnormal” driving was 90.9%, and that of “fatigued” and “drunk” driving was 94.4%. The accuracy was relatively low in identifying different BAC degrees. This experiment is designed to provide a reference for detecting dangerous driving states.

Driver Workload and Secondary Task Modality while Driving on Horizontal Curves

2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 1763-1767
Author(s):  
Heejin Jeong ◽  
Yili Liu
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Task ◽  
Motor Vehicle ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Influential Factor ◽  
Driving Safety ◽  
Steering Wheel ◽  
Horizontal Curves ◽  
Driver Workload ◽  
Road Geometry ◽  
Task Modality

High driver workload has been considered as a risk factor in motor vehicle crashes. To minimize the number of crashes and improve driving safety, it is necessary to investigate driver workload and the most influential factor that affects driver workload. In this study, we examined the effects of road geometry, driving performance (by both steering wheel and pedal controls), and secondary task modality type on driver workload. A hierarchical ordinary least squares multiple regression analysis revealed that visually demanding secondary task predicted higher driver workload. This finding could help in-vehicle interface designs to minimize driver workload and improve driving safety.

scholarly journals Bidirectional Interference Between Simulated Driving and Speaking

2019 ◽  
Vol 62 (7) ◽  
pp. 2053-2064
Author(s):  
Christopher Dromey ◽  
Kelsey Simmons
Keyword(s):  
Divided Attention ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Age Effect ◽  
Driving Performance ◽  
The Other ◽  
Steering Wheel ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Simulated Driving ◽  
Acoustic Measures ◽  
Lane Position

Purpose This study relied on acoustic measures of connected speech and several indices of driving performance to quantify interference between speaking and simulated driving. Method Three groups of 20 younger (ages 20–30 years), middle-age (ages 40–50 years), and older (ages 60–71 years) adults produced monologues and completed a simulated driving task, which involved maintaining a constant speed and lane position on a freeway. Both tasks were completed separately and concurrently. Results There were significant divided attention effects, with a reduced speaking time ratio, and increases in vocal intensity, speed variability, and steering wheel adjustments. There was a significant between-subjects age effect for intensity and fundamental frequency as the younger group had less variation with these variables compared to the other age groups across conditions. There was a significant between-subjects age effect for lane position, steering wheel position, and speed as the younger group had less variation in lane position compared to the other 2 groups, and the older group had more variation in speed and steering wheel position compared to the other 2 groups across the experimental conditions. Conclusion These findings reveal that divided attention conditions can impact both speech and simulated driving performance. The results also shed some light on the effects of age on speech and driving tasks, although the degree of interference from divided attention did not differ by age.

Effect of Headlight Illumination on Driver Behavior

1978 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-55
Author(s):  
Martin Helander ◽  
John O. Merritt ◽  
Charles Abrams
Keyword(s):  
Performance Measures ◽  
Driving Performance ◽  
Steering Wheel ◽  
Vehicle Speed ◽  
High Beam ◽  
Position Response ◽  
Brake Pressure ◽  
Response Profiles ◽  
Lane Position ◽  
Rural Highway

The effect of different headlight patterns on driving performance was investigated during test drives along a 8-km rural highway. Eighteen subjects drove the test course once for each of the three headlight conditions: low beam, high beam, and low-plus-high beam. Continuous recordings were obtained of vehicle speed, brake pressure, acceleration, steering wheel angle, and lane position. Response profiles for average and 1 S.D. of response were plotted as a function of distance along the test course. ANOVA showed small but statistically significant illumination effects for average speed, average lane position, and standard deviation of steering wheel position and fore-aft accelerations. It was concluded that the test course may have been too difficult and thus may have limited effects of illumination conditions on the driving performance measures obtained in this first phase of testing.

scholarly journals The Effect of Secondary Cognitive Task Difficulty on Headway Maintenance and Perceived Workload While Using Lane Keeping Systems

2019 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 2011-2015
Author(s):  
Nade Liang ◽  
Brandon J. Pitts
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Task ◽  
Driving Performance ◽  
Cognitive Tasks ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cruise Control ◽  
Secondary Tasks ◽  
Perceived Workload ◽  
Level 1 ◽  
Lane Position ◽  
Lane Keeping

Vehicle automation is developing at a rapid rate worldwide. However, even lower levels of automation, such as SAE Level-1, are expected to reduce drivers’ workload by controlling either speed or lane position. At the same time, however, drivers’ engagement in secondary tasks may make up for this difference in workload displaced by automation. Previous research has investigated the effects of adaptive cruise control on driving performance and workload, but little attention has been devoted to lane keeping systems (LKS). In addition, the influence of secondary cognitive tasks on Level-1 driving performance is also not well understood. The goal of this study was to examine the effects of secondary cognitive tasks on driving performance and perceived workload while using LKS. Nine participants drove a simulated vehicle in manual and LKS modes, while maintaining a specific headway and performing a secondary cognitive (n-back) task with varying levels of difficulty. Results showed that standard deviation of headway and NASA-TLX workload scores were significantly higher during the most difficulty secondary task. Also, LKS was not found to improve driving performance nor reduce perceived workload. This paper highlights potential performance costs and benefits associated with LKS technology and proposes directions for future research.

The Effects of Driving Experience on Objective Measures of Driving Performance

1979 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 277-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dennis A. Attwood
Keyword(s):  
Driving Performance ◽  
Objective Measures ◽  
Steering Wheel ◽  
Accelerator Pedal ◽  
Multivariate Statistical ◽  
Driving Experience ◽  
The Road ◽  
On Line ◽  
Instrumented Vehicle ◽  
Lane Position

The experiment described herein was conducted to develop a method of predicting driver ability based on objective measures of driving performance. Fifteen subjects drove an instrumented vehicle in live traffic on two-lane and multi-lane road sections in and around the Toronto area. Eight of the subject drivers had at least five years driving experience and seven of them had less than two thousand miles driving experience. On selected portions of the road course, subjects were instructed to maintain certain speeds or lanes. During these periods raw data were collected on vehicle velocity, lane position, steering wheel position, and accelerator pedal position. Using off-line computer programs the data were transformed into a number of descriptive statistics which were then analyzed using univariate and multivariate statistical techniques. Results indicated that even though univariate analyses were generally unsuccessful in differentiating between the groups of experienced and inexperienced drivers, successful discrimination was achieved with combinations of variables. Results suggest that it could be possible to employ on-line monitoring devices to determine whether a driver is capable of a minimum level of driving performance. Implications for the use of such a device in driver licensing and education are discussed.

Evaluation of a Motion Seat System for Reduction of a Driver’s Passive Task-Related (TR) Fatigue

2018 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 1843-1847 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seunghoon Lee ◽  
Minjae Kim ◽  
Sunwoo Choi ◽  
Heecheon You
Keyword(s):  
Standard Deviation ◽  
Driving Performance ◽  
Driving Safety ◽  
Performance Standard ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Driving Condition ◽  
Reduction Effect ◽  
Lane Position ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Eye Closure

A passive task-related (TR) fatigue that occurs monotonous driving environment can degrade driver's alertness and performance, thereby impairing driving safety. This study evaluated the driver's passive TR fatigue reduction effect of the motion seat system in terms of driving performance, physiological response, and subjective fatigue. 17 Korean drivers (6 females and 11 males) measured the driving performance (standard deviation of lane position, SDLP; break reaction time, BRT), percentage of eye closure (PERCLOS), and standard deviation of NN interval (SDNN) of the ECG during simulated driving for 90 minutes on a monotonous highway. The evaluation of the driving consisted of the first half (45 min) and the second half (45 min), while static seat condition in the first half and seat motion (bow, wave motion profile) condition in the second half. During static seat condition driving, SDLP, BRT, and PERCLOS were significantly higher (α = .05) in the second half compared with first half by 6.0 cm, 92.8 msec and 1.3%, respectively. However, there was no significant difference between first half and second half under motion seat conditions. In addition, subjective passive mental fatigue was observed to be 1.2 times lower during motion seat conditions than static seat condition ( p < 0.01). The results of this study indicated that motion seat system have some effect on the driver’s passive TR fatigue reduction. Our findings may not extend to on road driving condition because we tested only simulation driving condition. Therefore, effect of motion seat system on driver’s passive TR fatigue need to be evaluated in future studies under real road condition.

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