Rear-end collision avoidance systems (RECAS) offer a promising approach to aid drivers avoid rear-end collisions. The aim of this research was to evaluate the ability of a RECAS to enhance driver response to a situation involving an imminent collision. Two experiments were performed using a high-fidelity motion-based driving simulator. The 1st experiment showed that early warnings helped distracted drivers react more quickly than did late warnings or no warning at all. The 2nd experiment showed that a RECAS benefits even undistracted drivers. Analysis of the braking process indicates that warnings provide a potential safety benefit by reducing the time required for drivers to release the accelerator. However, warnings do not speed application of the brake, increase maximum deceleration, or affect mean deceleration. These results provide the basis for a computational model of driver performance that was used to extrapolate the findings and identify the most promising parameter settings. Potential applications of this work are discussed. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting