The LAteral COntrol Support (LACOS) project addresses the end user's needs for driver assistance systems to support the driving task especially in critical situations. The focus of the LACOS project is the validation of autonomous systems providing driver assistance for Anti-collision purposes along the lateral axis of the vehicle: lane changing manoeuvres and lane deviation scenarios. Lateral control of the vehicle, in fact, has already been evidenced as one of the more critical manoeuvres for the driver. All users should benefit from the system, particularly elderly and disabled people. The project started with a definition of the users' requirements by direct involvement of the LACOS system's final users, in a second phase specifications for demonstrator systems were prepared and realised, followed by the construction of three demonstrator vehicles and was concluded by the conduction of user validation trials. In the first phase of the project five variables were identified as influencing the task performance of lane changing manoeuvres and five different lane changing situations were evaluated as more demanding, less safe and in need of support. In the last phase the functionality of the LACOS system turned out to be useful, helpful and satisfying in the selected situations which were tested during the common trials.
Abstract