Collision warning systems offer the public the opportunity to travel more safely and with less stress by integrating sensor technologies, software and a driver interface to warn drivers of potential collisions. While there have been several trials of individual collision warning systems, there is a general lack of studies focused on the systematic testing of collision warning systems for driver acceptance and performance. This paper describes tests of 50 alerts that were developed as candidates for an advanced collision alert system. The research was part of a larger study, the Advanced Collision Avoidance System Project, funded through the U.S. Technology Reinvestment Program (TRP) to develop and test a collision avoidance system for vehicles. The project was managed through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Any functioning collision warning system needs a mechanism to advise the driver of the nature of potential collisions while the vehicle moves along the road. Generically, such a device is referred to as a driver-vehicle interface because it is the mechanism by which the on-board vehicle system conveys to the driver useful information upon which the driver must react. In addition to the physical platform which makes up the driver-vehicle interface, there are a host of design issues which evolve about the content of the interface and the modality of presentation (e.g. auditory or visual). The content of the interface is referred to in this report as the "alert". Alerts to be tested include text, icons, auditory words and tones and combinations of the above.
Abstract