During the past few years a number of investigators have considered the technical problems involved in devising automatic control devices for passenger cars on highways. Such systems have been proposed in order to increase the comfort and convenience to the driving population and in addition as a potential means of reducing accidents by replacing the driver with a reliable automatic control system not subject to fatigue and distraction. In view of the considerable development of control hardware, this seems an appropriate time to review the present status and to consider how well automatic control systems of the types proposed might improve the accident record; and further to determine what additional developments may be necessary to achieve practical utility for automatic vehicle control.
Abstract