Sub-Project 4 (abbreviated as SP4) of TeleFOT deals with the evaluation and assessment of data collected during the various Field Operational Tests (FOTs) throughout the testsites in the project. The prime aim is to ensure that appropriate and rigorous analyses are conducted in order to identify the impacts of aftermarket and nomadic device/function use with confidence & validity. Work-Package 4.3 (abbreviated as WP4.3) relates specifically to the analysis of data in the context of safety and driver behaviour. It is expected that the FOTs will generate a significant amount of data relating to the impact of nomadic and aftermarket systems on the driving task in a safety context. For example, traffic conflicts, visual distractions and speed control issues may all become evident within the trials. Analysis/Assessment of Safety-related data is therefore expected to be a significant undertaking involving extensive use of the TeleFOT database and other supporting information. In order to structure the analysis and assessment activities within TeleFOT, it was identified at an early stage that an Analysis Plan would be required for each Impact Area (Safety, Efficiency, Environment, Mobility and User-uptake) which encapsulates the basic aims and objectives of the analytical work relating to the area. In the main, these relate to the hypotheses and research questions that were developed within SP2 and are reported on in D2.2.1. Setting explicitly formulated hypotheses helps the researcher to define the tasks at hand, the methodology and to carry out statistical testing that either verifies or falsifies the hypothesis set. However, it was expected that each plan would expand the description of the hypotheses so that the specific statistical tests that will be applied to the data can be described. Therefore, this report outlines the approaches that have been used in formulating the Analysis Plan together with an overview of how each hypothesis will be addressed by statistical analysis. Data analysis will involve both quantitative and qualitative data which will be collected by means of (1) data loggers; (2) video recorders and (3) travel diaries, questionnaire, interview and focus groups. Appropriate statistical tests will be used to analyse the data and these are described in the analysis plan. Whilst in the main, it is expected that the data analyses will be conducted in the context of the research questions that will be generated in SP2, the final analysis activities will also respond to other research issues that may arise within the trials. Furthermore, as the FOTs within TeleFOT involve “samples” rather than “populations” of drivers, it is the intention of SP4 to evaluate the “representivity” of the data both at a national level and pan-European level in order to make predictions about applicability to the wider driving population and the transport system in general. The approach that will be used to achieve this is also briefly described. Much of the background work that has been carried out in order to reach the final list of Hypotheses that form the basis for the analysis plan is presented in Annex 1. Additionally, a literature, justifying the scientific and research background for each research question is presented in Annex 2. This document has been developed as an integral part of WP4.3, task 1. This same task will also handle subsequent revisions to the plan that may be required once the detail of the travel diaries and questionnaires are know (WP2.2) the experimental design for each FOT is finalised (SP3 with reference to WP2.1) and pilot analyses are undertaken (WP4.1). It is anticipated that the analysis plans will provide the final link, along with information from SP2 and the capabilities of the data loggers, that will allow the data specification to be completed within the Data Working Group (WP2.3 task 2.3.1) and the data base structure to be finalised (WP2.3, WP3.7, WP4.1). WP2.3 will assess the feasibility of collecting the variables required in this document and revisions will need to be made based upon the outcome of this feasibility assessment. Upon completion of all of the analysis plans (D4.3-4.7) WP4.2 (co-ordination) will review all of the combined analytical requirements to ensure a cost effective analysis strategy across all the impact areas. (Author/publisher) For more information on this project, see http://www.transport-research.info/web/projects/project_details.cfm?id=…
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