Human factor guidelines for the design of safe in-car traffic information services

The first version of the “Human factor guidelines for the design of safe in-car traffic information services” was compiled in 2014. In 2016 the guidelines were updated by Connecting Mobility/ DITCM, and the present version is a further update of that version. New systems have been introduced into the marked, and the role of apps on smartphones has increased. This report was updated to include recent developments such as gesture control. The guidelines are aimed at in-car traffic information services

An Ontological Approach to Inform HMI Designs for Minimizing Driver Distractions with ADAS

ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) are in-vehicle systems designed to enhance driving safety and efficiency as well as comfort for drivers in the driving process. Recent studies have noticed that when Human Machine Interface (HMI) is not designed properly, an ADAS can cause distraction which would affect its usage and even lead to safety issues. Current understanding of these issues is limited to the context-dependent nature of such systems. This paper reports the development of a holistic conceptualisation of how drivers interact with ADAS and how such interaction could lead to potential distraction. This is done taking an ontological approach to contextualise the potential distraction, driving tasks and user interactions centred on the use of ADAS. Example scenarios are also given to demonstrate how the developed ontology can be used to deduce rules for identifying distraction from ADAS and informing future designs

Human-Machine Interface Development For Modifying Driver Lane Change Behavior In Manual, Automated, And Shared Control Automated Driving

Rear-end crashes are common on U.S. roads. Driver assistance and automated driving technologies can reduce rear-end crashes (among other crash types as well). Braking is assumed for forward collision warning (FCW) and automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems. Braking is also used for adaptive cruise control (ACC) and in automated driving systems more generally. However, steering may be advised in an emergency if the adjacent lane is clear and braking is unlikely to avoid a collision. Steering around an obstacle when feasible also eliminates the risk of becoming the new forward collision hazard. Driver assist technology like emergency steer assist (ESA) and Level 2 or Level 3 automated driving systems might facilitate manual emergency lane changes but may require the driver to manually initiate the maneuver, something which drivers are often reluctant to do. An Human-Machine Interface (HMI) might advise the driver of a steerable path when feasible in forward collision hazard situations. Such an HMI might also advise a driver of normal lane change opportunities that can reduce travel time, increase fuel efficiency, or simply enhance the driving experience by promoting `flow.\u27 This dissertation investigated the propensity of drivers to brake only versus steer in both manual and automated driving situations that end in a high-intensity forward collision hazard. A audio-visual Field of Safe Travel (FOST) cluster display and haptic steering wheel HMI were developed to advise drivers in both discretionary and emergency situations of a lane change opportunity. The HMI was tested in a moving base simulator in manual driving, in fully autonomous driving, and in shared-control autonomous driving during a simulated highway commute that ended in an high-intensity forward collision hazard situation. Results indicated that a) driver response was affected by the nature of the automated driving (faster response in hands-on shared control versus hands-off fully autonomous driving); b) exposure to the HMI in normal lane changes both familiarized the driver with the HMI and introduced a mental set that steering was also a possibility rather than braking only; c) but that drivers used their direct vision to determine their response in the emergency event. A methodological issue related to mental set was also uncovered and resolved through screening studies. The final study brought the dissertation full-circle, comparing hands-off fully automated driving to hands-on shared control automated driving in the context of either providing some or no exposure to the developed LCA system concept. Results of the final study indicated that shared control lies somewhere between that of manual driving and hands-off fully automate driving. Benefits were also shown to exist for the LCA system concept irrespective of whether the discrete haptic profiles are included or not. The discrete haptic profiles did not statistically reliably increase response times to the FC hazard event, although they do show a trend toward decreasing response variability. This finding solidified the fact that by implementing a system for benign driving that aids in establishing a mental set to steer around an obstacle may actually be beneficial for rear-end crash scenarios. This dissertation’s contributions include a) audio-visual FOST display concepts; b) discrete haptic steering display concepts; c) a paired-comparisons scaling for urgency for haptic displays applied while driving; d) a new ``mirage scenario\u27\u27 methodology for eliciting subjective assessments in the context of a forward collision hazard, briefly presented then removed, without risk of simulator sickness, and e) a methodological lesson for others who wish to investigate semi-automated and automated driving interventions and must manage driver mental set carefully

Integrating Multiple Alarms & Driver Situation Awareness

This study addresses this gap in CAS and intelligent alarm research by examining whether or not a single master alarm warning versus multiple warnings for the different collision warning systems conveys adequate information to the drivers. Intelligent driver warning systems signaling impending frontal and rear collisions, as well as unintentional lane departures were used in this experiment, and all the warnings were presented to drivers through the auditory channel only. We investigated two critical research questions in this study: 1. Do multiple intelligent alarms as opposed to a single master alarm affect drivers’ recognition, performance, and action when they experience a likely imminent collision and unintentional lane departure? 2. Is driver performance and overall situation awareness under the two different alarm alerting schemes affected by reliabilities of the warning systems?Prepared For Ford Motor Compan

Effects of Single versus Multiple Warnings on Driver Performance

Objective: To explore how a single master alarm system affects drivers’ responses when compared to multiple, distinct warnings. Background: Advanced driver warning systems are intended to improve safety, yet inappropriate integration may increase the complexity of driving, especially in high workload situations. This study investigated the effects of auditory alarm scheme, reliability, and collision event-type on driver performance. Method: A 2x2x4 mixed factorial design investigated the impact of two alarm schemes (master vs. individual) and two levels of alarm reliability (high and low) on distracted drivers’ performance across four collision event-types (frontal collision warnings, left and right lane departure warnings, and follow vehicle fast approach). Results: Participants’ reaction times and accuracy rates were significantly affected by the type of collision event and alarm reliability. The use of individual alarms, rather than a single master alarm, did not significantly affect driving performance in terms of reaction time or response accuracy. Conclusion: Even though a master alarm is a relatively uninformative warning, it produced statistically no different reaction times or accuracy results when compared to information-rich auditory icons, some of which were spatially located. In addition, unreliable alarms negatively impacted driver performance, regardless of event type or alarm scheme. Application: These results have important implications for the development and implementation of multiple driver warning systems.This project was sponsored by the Ford Motor Company

design and preliminary testing of an haptic handle for powered two wheelers

In the last decade European accidentology data, divided per mode of transport, have shown the increasing relevance of safety for Vulnerable Road User (VRU). In particular Powered Two-Wheeler (PTW) accidents are increasing both as number of events and as percentage of the total fatalities. The European Community has promoted and co-financed several research projects to promote the development and implementation of viable technical solutions to reduce fatalities and mitigate accident consequences. Most of the proposed devices and systems require the interaction with the rider through Human Machine Interface (HMI) devices. This work focuses on the design of an innovative haptic HMI device to communicate information/warnings to the rider in a reliable and intuitive way. An in-depth state of the art on HMI devices for PTWs is presented. The design phase is illustrated since the initial concept stage, through the preliminary experiments to characterise the human action, until the experimental validation of a mock-up and discussion of the results

“Braking bad”:The influence of haptic feedback and tram driver experience on emergency braking performance

Trams are experiencing a resurgence with worldwide network expansion driven by the need for sustainable and efficient cities. Trams often operate in shared or mixed-traffic environments, which raise safety concerns, particularly in hazardous situations. This paper adopts an international, mixed-methods approach, conducted through two interconnected studies in Melbourne (Australia) and Birmingham (UK). The first study involved qualitative interviews, while the second was an experimental study involving a virtual reality (VR) simulator and haptic master controller (i.e., speed lever). In tram operations, master controllers play a critical role in ensuring a smooth ride, which directly influences passenger safety and comfort. The objective was to understand how a master control system, enhanced with additional haptic feedback, could improve tram driver braking performance and perceptions in safety-critical scenarios. Interview results indicate that the use of the emergency brake is considered the final or ultimate choice by drivers, and their driving experience is a moderating factor in limiting its application. Combined with the experimental results, this paper highlights how implementing haptic feedback within a master controller can reduce the performance disparity between novice and experienced tram drivers.</p