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Comparison of Self-Reported and Computer-Based Hazard Perception Skills Among Novice and Experienced Drivers
Get PDFHazard perception (HP) ability of novice drivers has been studied mainly by using computer-based implicit measures, such as simulators or video clips. In this study, we tried to replicate and extend Farrand and McKenna’s (2001) study that compared computer-based HP testing with self-assessment. We measured HP latencies of experienced and novice drivers by using video clips reflecting actual traffic scenes and their domain-specific self-assessment. Participants (43 novice and 65 experienced drivers) were administered the computer-based Turkish Hazard Perception Test and a brief self-reported HP scale. Results indicated that experienced drivers had significantly shorter reaction time than novice drivers on computer-based video clips with a small effect size, but they reported much better HP skill on paper and pencil test with a strong effect size. Although the computer-based test scores were not correlated with selfreported HP for the novice driver group, they were negatively and significantly correlated for the experienced driver group, suggesting that experienced drivers develop a stronger overconfidence effect in their driving and hazard perception skills than novices
The Design of Future Things: Cautious Cars:
Get PDFI will discuss the increasing intrusion of intelligent devices into the automobile with both expected benefits and unexpected dangers. The aviation industry knows a lot about the dangers of overautomation. The Human Factors and Control industry has long studied problems of operator control of automated equipment, including supervisory control. The issues here, however, are different: most studies of automation and intelligent devices look at industrial settings, with well-trained operators who do the same operations over and over again. In the automobile, we have ill-trained operators, with little understanding (and little interest in gaining understanding), who may have to react in seconds. Full automation, along with full autonomy probably is inevitable, and it will provide significant safety benefits. But partial autonomy, partial automation can be confusing, frustrating and dangerous. For these in-between states, I propose that we do not allow partial solutions, but rather use the technology to augment our abilities in a symbiotic fashion. I propose an approach I call “natural interaction,” where people and machines interact and communicate in ways that are natural, use environmental cues, and provide continual awareness of the other’s activities without annoyance. This requires development of a science of natural interaction, using appropriate visual, haptic, and auditory fields that map gracefully between machine and environmental states and human perception
Cognitive Factors and Gender Related to Self-reported Difficulties in Older Drivers
Get PDFThe purpose of this study is to determine the association between selfreported driving difficulties among older drivers and scores on specific cognitive tests. A cross-sectional study of 38 car drivers (22 men and 16 women), aged 61- 81 was carried out. The participants were volunteers recruited from two senior universities and a university health program for older drivers, in the area of Lisbon, Portugal. A battery of visual, psychomotor and cognitive measures was undertaken with a questionnaire about driving difficulties in a sample of healthy older adults. Difficulties in driving were the dependent variable in this study, defined as any reported difficulty in ≥ 4 driving situations. After a multivariate analysis, the independent factors significantly associated with driving difficulties were divided attention subtest of UFOV® (p=0.013), number of trials with success in the Tower of London (p=0.015) and gender (p=0.021). The drivers that reported difficulties in ≥ 4 driving situations made significantly less trials with success in the Tower of London test, had lower performances in divided attention between central and peripheral targets, and were more frequently females. Results suggest that planning ability, divided visual attention and gender are three important factors to be considered in the analysis of driving difficulties. However, further investigation with additional cognitive tests and driving measures (staterecorded crashes, driving simulator and on-road driving performance) could be developed in order to understand the factors related to driving difficulties in healthy older drivers
Estimation of Driver Inattention to Forward Objects Using Facial Direction with Application to Forward Collision Avoidance Systems
Get PDFIn forward collision avoidance systems, warnings may be provided more effectively if the underlying timing is set earlier than normal when the driver’s attention is not in the forward direction of the vehicle. In this regard, we determined the following driver characteristcs: (1) the amount of horizontal facial rotation needed to keep track of a moving object in the driver’s field of view increases significantly when the horizontal viewing angle of that target object exceeds 20 degrees, (2) when the driver’s face is oriented in the forward direction, the horizontal angle of facial rotation falls within 15 degrees, and (3) the reaction time to warning lengthens in accordance with the increase in the horizontal viewing angle. In the context of forward collision warning systems, we have determined the difference in the distribution of the driver’s horizontal facial rotation angle, for cases when the driver’ attention was and was not directed to objects in the forward direction of the vehicle. Furthermore, we have measured the reaction time to warning when the driver’s face was not directed forward. Last, our findings were successfully applied to issue the onset timing of a forward collision warning system
Risky Driving by Recently Licensed Teens: Self-Reports and Simulated Performance
Get PDFU.S. teens are overrepresented in motor vehicle crashes, with the majority due to driver error; however, causal pathways remain to be elucidated. This research aimed to identify driving performance factors that might underlie newly-licensed male teens’ risk. Surveys were conducted with 21 16-year-olds at the time of intermediate licensure. During the second month of licensure they completed drives in a high-fidelity simulator. Simulator scenarios allowed assessment of responses to yellow traffic lights changing to red and to a visual search task, for which previous data on older age groups of drivers were available. All teens had an A or B grade point average, previously found to be associated with lower crash and citation risk. Nonetheless, 71% reported risky driving in terms of prior unlicensed, unsupervised driving. In the simulator, 46% went through an intersection as the light turned red, compared to 33% of adults. In the visual search task, teens had shorter mean perception-reaction times and identified more targets than adults and older drivers, but similar to young drivers. Therefore, even teens with good grades, perceived to be less risky, were willing to take driving risks. Their driving performance suggests there may be subtle differences in the way recently-licensed teens drive that might predispose them to crashes. Further research of this nature can increase understanding of such differences and inform the development of more targeted intervention
Age-Related Deficits in the Frequency of Gaze Responses to the Mirrors and Blind-Spot During Land Change Maneuvers of Various Complexity
Get PDFLane changing is a complex driving maneuver that could challenge elderly drivers. The aim of this study was to evaluate eye glances of young and elderly active drivers when engaging lane change maneuvers. Twelve young (aged 21-31 years) and eleven older (aged 65-75 years) active drivers drove through a continuous simulated environment (STISIM, v2.0). The scenario included 16 events where the driver needed to glance at three important regions of interest (ROI): 1) the rear-view mirror, 2) the left-side mirror, and 3) the left blind spot to ensure secure lane change. The lane change maneuvers were necessary 1) to avoid a static object that was partially or completely blocking the lane or 2) for overtaking a slower moving vehicle. Compared with younger drivers, older drivers showed a reduced frequency of glances towards the left-side mirror and the blind spot. Also, while the older drivers showed a constant frequency of glances across the two types of driving maneuvers (i.e., avoiding a static object and overtaking a slower vehicle), the younger drivers generally showed a higher frequency of glances and this frequency increased when overtaking a slower vehicle. A better knowledge of the elderly drivers’ behavior could enable researchers to identify at-risk behaviors and to retrain older drivers to adopt safer behaviors
Effects of Adaptive Information Presentation
No full textSeveral new approaches to assisting the driver in dealing with the complex task of the driving situation are being developed. One possibility is to give support in the secondary task with the aim of facilitating the primary driving task. In this study, I tested whether a situation-dependent change of modality presentation for a secondary task can support time-sharing and enhance performance in the primary task. In an experiment, 42 subjects were engaged in a computer-simulated tracking task, which is a continuous task like driving a car. From time to time they also had to perform a decision-making task, which was to identify special numerical series. The task was an analogy to receiving a phone call while driving. The independent variables consisted of 1) demands of the situation (low vs. high) and 2) presentation modality of the secondary task (visual, auditory, visual + auditory; adaptive, non-adaptive). Performance was assessed through mistakes in the tracking task (lateral deviation from the central line). Additionally, the participants were asked for their subjective opinion of this system-driven change of modality presentation. Findings do not support the assumption that changing from bimodal (visual + auditory) to auditory-only presentation under high situational demands leads to best performance in the driving task. Rather, auditory-only information presentation was best under all conditions and led to the fewest mistakes in the tracking task. Moreover, subjective ratings revealed that 50% of the subjects favoured auditory-only presentation and 75% of the subjects generally preferred non-adaptive information presentation
Driving Simulator Evaluation of a Vehicle Rear-MountedHeavy Braking Light With and Without Distraction
Get PDFRear-end collisions comprise a large proportion of all vehicle crashes. A variant of the standard centre high mounted stop light (CHMSL) that flashes under conditions of heavy braking was developed to reduce the incidence and severity of rear-end collisions. The developer of the Heavy Braking Light commissioned MUARC to conduct a driving simulator evaluation of the effectiveness of the Heavy Braking Light. Forty-two participants completed a series of simulator drives that were designed to examine whether participants’ braking performance under certain conditions was more effective in response to a heavily braking vehicle fitted with the Heavy Braking Light compared with a heavily braking vehicle fitted with a standard CHMSL. Among other things, it was found that, relative to the CHMSL condition, participants reacted by braking in a shorter time at an intermediate headway to the Heavy Braking Light, and braked harder in response to the Heavy Braking Light at both a near and intermediate headway. The results suggest that the Heavy Braking Light is a device that, through widespread use, may contribute to a reduction in the incidence and severity of rear-end collisions
Effects of Visual and Cognitive Distraction on Lane Change Test Performance
Get PDFDriver errors related to visual and cognitive distraction were studied in the context of the Lane Change Test (LCT). New performance metrics were developed in order to capture the specific effects of visual and cognitive distraction. In line with previous research, it was found that the two types of distraction impaired driving in different ways. Visual, but not cognitive, distraction led to reduced path control. By contrast, only cognitive distraction affected detection and recognition/response selection. Theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed
Field Test Results of a Road Departure Crash Warning System: Driver Acceptance, Perceived Utility and Willingness to Purchase
Get PDFThe road departure crash warning system field operational test (RDCW FOT) was conducted to assess the safety impacts, driver acceptance levels, and the maturity of road departure crash warning systems as installed on a light vehicle platform. This paper presents the results on driver acceptance and perceived utility of a road departure crash warning system