This paper describes the results of a field test in which the behavior ofnaive drivers was observed while they were driving a commercially available adaptive cruise control (ACC) system and a prototype cooperative ACC (CACC) system. The CACC enabled enhanced responsiveness of vehicle control and shorter time gaps than the ACC. The drivers choices of time gap and whether or not to use the ACC and CACC were recorded while they were drivingtheir normal commute trips, and their subjective reactions were captured via questionnaire. The results have significant implications for the effects of CACC on traffic.
Abstract