This paper describes a study that was conducted to investigate the possibilities for optimising task performance when driving a side stick-steered vehicle. Using steer-by-wire technology, a conventional steering system was mimicked, thus yielding the possibility to modify the steering characteristics in software. The front wheel angle of the car and the stick position were hydraulically controlled and seven parameters were identified to describe the steering feel of the active side stick. From these seven parameters, three parameters were varied experimentally to investigate their effect on driving performance and driver workload. Subjects drove the test vehicle with the various parameter configurations in a set of three manoeuvres. The results showed that driving performance with our side stick can be at least as good as driving with a conventional steering wheel, even after a relatively short training period.
Samenvatting