Research Elements of Integrated Vehicle Based Safety Systems

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Research Elements of Integrated Vehicle Based
Safety Systems
Jack Ference, IVBSS Technical Manager ITS America
Annual Meeting May, 2005
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What is IVBSS?

• A New Tier I Initiative
• Vision
• All vehicles would be equipped with integrated
  driver assistance systems to help drivers avoid
  the most common types of crashes.
• Goal
• To work with industry to accelerate introduction
  of integrated vehicle-based safety systems into
  the U.S. vehicle fleet.
• Addresses 3 Crash Types
• Rear End
• Road Departure
• Lane Change

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Whos Involved
Program Manager Jack Ference
Program Coordinator Mike Schagrin, FHWA ITS JPO
Evaluation Leader Wassim Najm
Transit Vehicle Lead Brian Cronin
Commercial Vehicle Lead Tim Johnson
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Program Timeline
Partner-led activity
Govt-initiated activity
7/04
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Program Activities Tasks
Partner-led activity
Govt-Industry activity
Govt-initiated activity
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There are many research issues to look at

• Multiple threats and Prioritization of warnings
• Ways to avoid a crash
• Behavioral adaptation
• Non-useful warnings (includes false warnings)
• Effective DVI design

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Multiple Threats
Key Human Factors Research Issues for IVBSS

• A major issue with multiple warnings is not only
  alerting the driver to the presence of multiple
  threats, but communicating the hazard type and
  appropriate response.

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Multiple Threats
Key Human Factors Research Issues for IVBSS
Example FCW Lane Change Warning
From Chiang, Brooks, and Llaneras, Nov 2004,
Investigation of Multiple Collision Alarm
Interference Driving Simulator Study
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Multiple Threats
Key Human Factors Research Issues for IVBSS

• How can multiple threats that occur at
  near-simultaneous points in time be communicated
  to the driver?
• Is multi-modal presentation more or less
  effective than using one modality?
• Can drivers discriminate between alerts and
  effectively respond to each threat?
• Can an IVBSS system be effective without
  prioritization?
  

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Avoiding a crash
Key Human Factors Research Issues for IVBSS

• Can a driver successfully be directed how to
  avoid a crash?
• How many scenarios need to be developed to
  understand what is possible?
• Are auditory instructions (such as swerve left)
  appropriate or are there better ways to elicit
  quicker or appropriate responses from drivers?
• For example, a haptic cue or a pedal push may
  result in quicker response times or less
  confusion as to how to respond

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Avoiding a crash
Key Human Factors Research Issues for IVBSS
From Chiang, Brooks, and Llaneras, Nov 2004,
Investigation of Multiple Collision Alarm
Interference Driving Simulator Study
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Behavioral Adaptation
Key Human Factors Research Issues for IVBSS

• How should the system be designed to minimize
  adverse behavioral adaptation by drivers?
• What is needed to prevent riskier driving
  behavior due to the perception of increased
  safety provided by an (effective) crash avoidance
  system?

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Non useful warnings
Key Human Factors Research Issues for IVBSS

• Non useful warnings include
• False alarms
• Nuisance warnings
• Examples
• An FCW system detects an object ahead of the
  vehicle on a curve, out of the intended travel
  path, but in the radars field of view
• A driver is already responding to an object
  detected by a CW system

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Non useful warnings
Key Human Factors Research Issues for IVBSS

• How will non-useful warnings (including false
  alarms) affect driver acceptance and system
  effectiveness?
• What is the acceptable level of false alarms and
  other non-useful warnings?
• Additional Examples
• A driver changes a lane without using a turning
  signal and the system recognizes an off-path
  target
• A false curve speed warning goes off and an
  off-path target is detected

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DVI Design
Key Human Factors Research Issues for IVBSS

• Sensors and technology may be able to detect a
  crash threat, but the Driver Vehicle Interface
  (DVI) must be effective or the IVBSS system will
  not be successful.

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DVI Design
Key Human Factors Research Issues for IVBSS

• How will individual differences and intervening
  variables such as age be accommodated? What are
  the DVI implications?
• Should a DVI adapt to the state of the driver?
  (distracted, impaired, alert)
• Are there DVI parameters that should be
  standardized?

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Final Thoughts

• The key to driver acceptance and successful
  deployment of IVBSS technology will be an
  effective DVI
• There are significant human factors research
  issues that need to be and will be addressed in
  the IVBSS program
• Creating an effective DVI may be a larger
  challenge than the integration of system
  hardware and software

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Contact

• Jack Ference
• U.S. DOT /NHTSA
• [phone]
• jack.ference_at_nhtsa.dot.gov