This report describes the findings of three experiments that concern driver reaction to acoustic signals that might be used for backup warning devices. Intelligent warning devices are under development that will use vehicle-based sensors to warn backing drivers of the presence of objects behind the vehicle. The research described here is part of a larger project concerned with the human factors of these warning devices. Specifically, the questions of interest center around what warning information to provide, when to present it, and how to display it. Based on previous work, this research focuses on acoustic signals, which are seen as more suitable for backup warnings than are visual displays. The three experiments were conducted dealing with different aspects of driver perception and response to backup warning signals, with the objective of contributing to the development of a set of recommendations for the human factors aspects of backup warning systems. (Author/publisher)
Abstract