The study design of UDRIVE: the Naturalistic Driving Study across Europe for cars, trucks and scooters

Purpose: UDRIVE is the first large-scale European Naturalistic Driving Study on cars, trucks and powered two wheelers. The acronym stands for "European naturalistic Driving and Riding for Infrastructure & Vehicle safety and Environment". The purpose of the study is to gain a better understanding of what happens on the road in everyday traffic situations. Methods: The paper describes Naturalistic Driving Studies, a method which provides insight into the actual real-world behaviour of road users, unaffected by experimental conditions and related biases. Naturalistic driving can be defined as a study undertaken to provide insight into driver behaviour during everyday trips by recording details of the driver, the vehicle and the surroundings through unobtrusive data gathering equipment and without experimental control. Data collection will take place in six EU Member States. Results: Road User Behaviour will be studied with a focus on both safety and environment. The UDRIVE project follows the steps of the FESTA-V methodology, which was originally designed for Field Operational Tests. Conclusions: Defining research questions forms the basis of the study design and the specification of the recording equipment. Both will be described in this paper. Although the project has just started collecting data from drivers, we consider the process of designing the study as a major result which may help other initiatives to set up similar studies

CROSS-STUDY RESEARCH ON UTILITY AND VALIDITY OF DRIVING SIMULATOR FOR DRIVER BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS

Driving is one of the most ordinary and universal everyday tasks and, at the same time, one of the most complex and dangerous. It requires a full range of sensory, perceptual, cognitive, and motor functions, all of which can be affected by a wide range of stressors and experience levels. Therefore, exploring of human behaviour while controlling a vehicle is a crucial task in improving traffic safety. Experimental studies can always be conducted with on-road tests, however, using a simulator is safer and more cost-effective. The main goal of this paper is to demonstrate if and under what conditions could a driving simulator provide sufficient results required for a proper study of driver behavior. It discusses its limits and advantages. Overall, the research reviewed in this paper indicates that simulator driving behaviour approximates (relative validity of speed and lateral position of vehicle on road), but does not exactly replicate (absolute validity), on-road driving behaviour

Modelling Aggressive or Risky Driving: The Effect of Cinematic Portrayals of Risky Driving

The purpose of the current research was to investigate the influence of motion pictures, depicting aggressive or risky driving, on subsequent driving behaviour. Both experimental and descriptive research approaches were used in an attempt to demonstrate the robustness of this relationship. Study 1 employed an experimental design, in which participants drove through a test course on a driving simulator following exposure to either neutral, arousing, or aggressive and risky driving movie content. Various person, situation, and internal factors were assessed, along with various measures of aggressive or risky driving (e.g., speed, acceleration, passing frequency). Study 2 was an event study, which linked automated enforcement speeding data, from the City of Edmonton, to the release of two aggressive or risky driving movies (i.e., Fast and Furious 6 and Furious 7) to investigate changes in the number of speeding infractions and speed differential (i.e., amount the driver exceeded the posted speed limit). Multiple years of speeding infraction data provided a built in replication, allowing for comparisons across different years. The results from Study 1 provided evidence for the contribution of trait aggression, sensation seeking, driving vengeance, a history of violation (i.e., particularly speeding), and a provoking racing scenario to the modelling of aggressive or risky driving. Study 2 revealed an increase in the number of speeding infractions and mean speed differential for the opening weekend and first week post-movie release for Furious 7. The findings from these studies demonstrate the interactivity of person, internal, and situation factors in the modelling of aggressive or risky driving and suggest that movies, which depict this content, can influence real-world speeding behaviour. Public policy implications are addressed, with a strong suggestion for increased enforcement following the release of such movies, particularly during the first week. An emphasis is placed on production companies to provide warnings and address unsafe driving as a public health and safety concern. Also, viewers of such material are reminded of their responsibility, as drivers, to engage in thoughtful, non-risky action when presented with an aggressive driving opportunity

The effect of ‘smart’ financial incentives on driving behaviour of novice drivers

© 2018 Elsevier Ltd Recent studies have demonstrated that financial incentives can improve driving behaviour but high-value incentives are unlikely to be cost-effective and attempts to amplify the impact of low-value incentives have so far proven disappointing. The present study provides experimental evidence to inform the design of ‘smart’ and potentially more cost-effective incentives for safe driving in novice drivers. Study participants (n = 78) were randomised to one of four financial incentives: high-value penalty; low-value penalty; high-value reward; low-value reward; allowing us to compare high-value versus low-value incentives, penalties versus rewards, and to test specific hypotheses regarding motivational crowding out and gain/loss asymmetry. Results suggest that (i) penalties may be more effective than rewards of equal value, (ii) even low-value incentives can deliver net reductions in risky driving behaviours and, (iii) increasing the dollar-value of incentives may not increase their effectiveness. These design principles are currently being used to optimise the design of financial incentives embedded within PAYD insurance, with their impact on the driving behaviour of novice drivers to be evaluated in on-road trials

Post-license Education for Novice Drivers: Evaluation of a Training Programme implemented in Spain

Introduction: This study evaluated the implementation of a 2nd phase training programme for novice drivers in Spain, which puts the primary focus of the training on the higher hierarchical levels of driver behaviour. Method: Two hundred and sixty-three participants took part throughout the study, which was implemented as an experimental design with the test and control groups assessed before and after the one day safety training. Measurement of the impact of the training program focused on the participants¿ self-evaluation and self reporting of some driving behaviour indicators related to accident risk. Results: Data analysis showed a change in the expected direction in the scale related to the skills for careful driving, but not for the other four scales considered. A feedback survey about the training course offered some important input for evaluating the organization, contents, tuition, and results of the three parts of the training programme (discussion group, on-road and track training) as reported by the participants in the test group. Conclusions and suggestions: The results of the experiment show that using a one day driver safety course, it is possible to change some of the drivers¿ evaluations connected to safe driving style into safe direction. The follow-up period was exceptionally long (9 months) and the design (randomly divided experimental and control groups with before and after measurements) was reliable. More effort should be devoted to improving the on-road part of the training, which was often perceived as a typical driving lesson rather than a feedback drive

Slow dynamics and aging of a confined granular flow

We present experimental results on slow flow properties of a granular assembly confined in a vertical column and driven upwards at a constant velocity V. For monodisperse assemblies this study evidences at low velocities ($1<V<100 \mu m/s$) a stiffening behaviour i.e. the stress necessary to obtain a steady sate velocity increases roughly logarithmically with velocity. On the other hand, at very low driving velocity ($V<1 \mu m/s$), we evidence a discontinuous and hysteretic transition to a stick-slip regime characterized by a strong divergence of the maximal blockage force when the velocity goes to zero. We show that all this phenomenology is strongly influenced by surrounding humidity. We also present a tentative to establish a link between the granular rheology and the solid friction forces between the wall and the grains. We base our discussions on a simple theoretical model and independent grain/wall tribology measurements. We also use finite elements numerical simulations to confront experimental results to isotropic elasticity. A second system made of polydisperse assemblies of glass beads is investigated. We emphasize the onset of a new dynamical behavior, i.e. the large distribution of blockage forces evidenced in the stick-slip regime

Resonance effects on the dynamics of dense granular beds: achieving optimal energy transfer in vibrated granular systems

Using a combination of experimental techniques and discrete particle method simulations, we investigate the resonant behaviour of a dense, vibrated granular system. We demonstrate that a bed of particles driven by a vibrating plate may exhibit marked differences in its internal energy dependent on the specific frequency at which it is driven, even if the energy corresponding to the oscillations driving the system is held constant and the acceleration provided by the base remains consistently significantly higher than the gravitational acceleration, g. We show that these differences in the efficiency of energy transfer to the granular system can be explained by the existence of resonances between the bed's bulk motion and that of the oscillating plate driving the system. We systematically study the dependency of the observed resonant behaviour on the system's main, controllable parameters and, based on the results obtained, propose a simple empirical model capable of determining, for a given system, the points in parameter space for which optimal energy transfer may be achieved

Effecten van alcohol op rijgedrag: een gecontroleerde replicatie van de ervaringsproeg in het project "Alcoholvrij op Weg"

This report is about an experiment in which young drivers drove various rides in the instrumented vehicle of the Centre for Environmental and Traffic Psychology, with and without alcohol in a controlled experimental design. The experiment was carried out to validate the life-experience setup in the project “Alcohol-free on the road” in the south-east of the Dutch province Drenthe, and therefore had a comparable setup. “Alcohol-free on the road” is a an experience for young drivers in which they are confronted under strict surveilance and on a closed circuit with the effects of alcohol on driving behaviour. In this study the demonstration-setup is validated by a more structured and methodologically sound replication with more measures. Thus, the experience is embedded in the scientific body of knowledge about alcohol effects. The setup was as follows: on a closed circuit subjects drove two rides of five laps each, in which they had to drive through cone-gates, react to a traffic light, drive straight and manage curves. Each ride ended with a backparking manoeuvre into a cone-marked parking space. During the rides a driving instructor was present to judge the behaviour of the subjects on various aspects. In the instrumented vehicle various driving parameters were recorded. Supplementary a reaction task was performed with a duration of 20 minutes. Before and afterwards self-raing scales were answered. The addition of alcohol (wodka) to the beverages (orange juce) was kept as secret as possible for both subjects and judges. The results showed that driving behaviour was influenced by the use of alcohol, but not for all subjects in the same way. Some subjects drove more sloppy and more roughly, wereas others started to drive more careful, as to compensate the alcoholeffect which they apparently noticed. The judgements of the driving instructors and the driving parameters showed on various measures a significant difference between sober and alcohol, and in general there was a trend in the expected direction. Also in the self-rating measures and in the reaction task measures there were significant results. These results show that this setup effects are obtained that are comparable to known effects in the literature, and therefore that the life-experience setup of the original project “Alcohol-free on the road” is based upon scientific knowledge of the effects of alcohol on driving behaviour

Controlling the stability of both the structure and velocity of domain walls in magnetic nanowires

For magnetic nanowire devices, the precise control of both domain wall (DW) motion and pinning behaviour is essential for reliable functional performance. The domain wall velocity and wall structure are typically sensitive to the driving field or spin-polarized current, and the pinning behaviour depends on the walls’ structure and chirality, leading to variability in behaviour. Here, a systematic study combining experimental measurements and micromagnetic simulations of planar nanowires with small fixed-angle structural modulations on both edges was undertaken to study the domain wall reversal regime. A phase diagram for the reversal field as a function of modulation amplitude was obtained that shows that three DW reversal regime. A range of field and modulation amplitudes were identified in which stable DW reversal occurs, where the wall velocity is constant as a function of field and the wall structure is stable, which is well suited to applications

An intervention encouraging planned self-regulation and goal setting in drivers across the lifespan:testing an extended theory of planned behaviour

Previous work has demonstrated that planning behaviours may be more adaptive than avoidance strategies in driving self-regulation, but ways of encouraging planning have not been investigated. The efficacy of an extended theory of planned behaviour (TPB) plus implementation intention based intervention to promote planning self-regulation in drivers across the lifespan was tested. An age stratified group of participants (N=81, aged 18-83 years) was randomly assigned to an experimental or control condition. The intervention prompted specific goal setting with action planning and barrier identification. Goal setting was carried out using an agreed behavioural contract. Baseline and follow-up measures of TPB variables, self-reported, driving self-regulation behaviours (avoidance and planning) and mobility goal achievements were collected using postal questionnaires. Like many previous efforts to change planned behaviour by changing its predictors using models of planned behaviour such as the TPB, results showed that the intervention did not significantly change any of the model components. However, more than 90% of participants achieved their primary driving goal, and self-regulation planning as measured on a self-regulation inventory was marginally improved. The study demonstrates the role of pre-decisional, or motivational components as contrasted with post-decisional goal enactment, and offers promise for the role of self-regulation planning and implementation intentions in assisting drivers in achieving their mobility goals and promoting safer driving across the lifespan, even in the context of unchanging beliefs such as perceived risk or driver anxiety