Study of Intelligent Human Machine Interface based on Driving Simulator

poster abstractIn this project, we examine how driving task performance metrics are affected when drivers have to complete certain typical tasks associated with the in-vehicle infotainment system and peripheral devices. Detailed experiment procedures are designed and data are collected through a driving simulator. The collected data are analyzed to study how the task completion time and quality of driving are affected by the control that is required to complete the in-vehicle secondary tasks

Performance Measurement of Vehicle Crash Imminent Braking Systems

poster abstractAs active safety systems have been introduced to passenger vehicles, there is an immediate need to develop a standardized testing protocol and scoring mechanism which enables an objective comparison between the performance of active safety systems implemented across various vehicle platforms. This project proposes a methodology for the establishment of such standards to evaluate and compare the performance of Crash Imminent Braking (CIB) systems. The proposed scoring mechanism is implemented based on track testing data in the evaluation of a 2011 model year passenger vehicle equipped with a CIB system

Analysis of Potential Co-Benefits for Bicyclist Crash Imminent Braking Systems

In the US, the number of traffic fatalities has had a long term downward trend as a result of advances in the crash worthiness of vehicles. However, these improvements in crash worthiness do little to protect other vulnerable road users such as pedestrians or bicyclists. Several manufacturers have developed a new generation of crash avoidance systems that attempt to recognize and mitigate imminent crashes with non-motorists. While the focus of these systems has been on pedestrians where they can make meaningful contributions to improved safety [1], recent designs of these systems have recognized mitigating bicyclist crashes as a potential co-benefit. This paper evaluates the performance of one system that is currently available for consumer purchase. Because the vehicle manufacturer does not claim effectiveness for their system under all crash geometries, we focus our attention on the crash scenario that has the highest social cost in the US: the cyclist and vehicle on parallel paths being struck from behind. Our analysis of co benefits examines the ability to reduce three measures: number of crashes, fatalities, and a comprehensive measure for social cost that incorporates morbidity and mortality. Test track simulations under realistic circumstances with a realistic surrogate bicyclist target are conducted. Empirical models are developed for system performance and potential benefits for injury and fatality reduction. These models identify three key variables in the analysis: vehicle speed, cyclist speed and cyclist age as key determinants of potential co-benefits. We find that the evaluated system offers only limited benefits for any but the oldest bicycle riders for our tested scenario

Steps toward Parallel Intelligence

The origin of artificial intelligence is investigated, based on which the concepts of hybrid intelligence and parallel intelligence are presented. The paradigm shift in Intelligence indicates the "new normal" of cyber-social-physical systems (CPSS), in which the system behaviors are guided by Merton's Laws. Thus, the ACP-based parallel intelligence consisting of Artificial societies, Computational experiments and Parallel execution are introduced to bridge the big modeling gap in CPSS

Back of Queue Warning and Critical Information Delivery to Motorists

Back-of-queue crashes are one of the main sources for fatal accidents on U.S. highways. A variety of factors including low visibility, slippery road surface, and driver distraction/drowsiness during highway cruising, all contribute to this type of fatal crashes. Thus, it is very important to improve the driver’s situational awareness before they approach traffic queues on highways. In this project, we develop a prototype in-vehicle back-of-queue alerting system that is based on the probe vehicle data from INDOT. Speed changes among different road segments are used to identify slow traffic queues, which are compared with vehicle locations and moving directions to detect potential back-of-queue crashes. This prototype system is designed to issue alerting messages to drivers approaching the highway traffic queues via an Android-based smartphone app and an Android Auto device. The performance of this system has been evaluated using the driving simulator and a limited number of on-road test runs. The results showed the effectiveness and benefits of this prototype system