| NHTSA crash avoidance research aims to
develop a broad understanding of how advanced technology can be used to
help avoid collisions. Consequently, the core research area is collision
countermeasure systems and related systems to help enhance driver performance.
To support analyses, development, testing and evaluation of these systems,
NHTSA is developing a suite of research tools, including simulators, test
vehicles, and data acquisition resources. |
|
| The objective of each research
area is to help advance the capabilities, user acceptance, and benefits
of collision avoidance systems. Capability refers to the technical
performance of the systems and its components -- sensors, processors,
and driver interface or controls. User acceptance addresses the
interaction with the driver, including ease of use, desirability of the
system, effects on driver performance, and affordability. The primary
benefits are reductions in the number of collisions and their associated
injuries and costs. |
|
| COLLISION COUNTERMEASURES
& RELATED SYSTEMS |
| NHTSA is developing performance
specifications for systems that could assist drivers in avoiding collisions.
These performance specifications are technology-independent functional
guidelines that define the relationship between specific safety problem
areas, countermeasure performance requirements, and safety benefits. They
provide the basis for conducting countermeasure design, prototyping, and
test and evaluation activities. |
| HEAVY
VEHICLE RESEARCH |
 |
Heavy
Truck Braking and Electronic Braking Systems
This is an ongoing research
program aimed at improving the safety performance of heavy trucks.
The research areas are as follows: the development of ABS performance
measures for straight trucks and trailers, evaluation of SAE J1802
"Brake Block Effectiveness Rating Procedures”, and evaluation of
the performance and compatibility of truck tractors and trailers
equipped with electronic brake systems (EBS). |
|
Splash
and Spray Suppression
In 1988, NHTSA terminated
rulemaking requiring splash and spray suppression devices on large
trucks. The agency determined at that time that there was no available
technology demonstrated that would consistently reduce splash and
spray to an extent that would improve visibility. The objective
for this project is to identify and evaluate the technological advancements
in heavy vehicle splash and spray suppression devices since the
agency’s last report to Congress in March 1994. |
|
| TRADITIONAL
AREAS OF COLLISION AVOIDANCE |
|
Rollover
Program Area
The objective for this
research is to develop an objective test procedure for determining
the on-road, untripped rollover propensity of a vehicle make-model.
Having such a test procedure will support either the implementation
of a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard to establish a minimum
acceptable level for a vehicle’s on-road, untripped rollover propensity,
or the development of a consumer information program to reduce the
incidence of on-road, untripped rollover. The test procedure will
be developed to the level that it can be presented to the public
in the form of a notice. |
|
Anti-lock
Brakes Program Area
Test track studies evaluating
the effectiveness of ABS have shown it to be an advantageous safety
device. For varying pavement conditions, ABS allows the driver to
maintain steering control of the vehicle while braking even during
extreme panic stop conditions. However, statistical analyses of
real-world collision databases suggest that the introduction of
ABS does not reduce the number of automobile crashes where it was
thought ABS would have proved most effective. Crash studies show
increased involvement of ABS-equipped vehicles in single-vehicle
crashes and less involvement in multi-vehicle crashes. Specifically
the increase has been in single-vehicle run-off-road crashes such
as, rollovers or impacts with fixed objects. The overall objective
of this project is to determine why ABS does not appear to be effective
in reducing all types of crashes. |
|
Visibility
Program Area
Convex and multi-radius
rearview mirrors provide drivers a wider field of view as compared
to flat mirrors. However, the driver may experience greater difficulty
judging the distance and approaching speed of vehicles due to the
reduced image size. The objective of this research is to measure
the relative differences in driver performance when using the standard
(planar) driver-side rear-view mirror and selected non-planar mirror
types. Studies include the use of laboratory driving simulators
and data collection of drivers experiences in Europe where these
mirrors have been used. |
|
|
CROSS-CUTTING ACTIVITIES |
| RESEARCH
TOOLS |
|
National
Advanced Driving Simulator (NADS)
Simulators are considered
essential to the efforts for understanding driver behavior and for
testing of various situational, display, and control conditions
rapidly without endangering the experimental subject. NHTSA is focusing
on the development of a high-fidelity, moving base simulator, to
replicate the highway driving scenario. This will be a national
research facility for human-in-the-loop, real-time vehicle driving
simulation. With this facility, researchers will be able to present
the antecedent events of a likely crash situation and then study
the responses of research subjects (drivers) as well as the vehicle.
Within the simulator these events can be presented in a precise
and repeatable manner, efficiently, while providing complete safety
to the human subjects. |
|
System
for Assessing the Vehicle Motion Environment (SAVME)
This project is developing
and validating a measurement system that can quantify the specific
motions that vehicles exhibit as they move in traffic. In addition,
the system will sense and record the location and motions of all
other vehicles within the field of view relative to roadway boundaries
and other features of the driving environment. In operation, the
SAVME will gather information on successful collision avoidance
maneuvers, including the reaction to other vehicles cutting in front,
headway maintenance, typical lane changing trajectories, and response
to inclement weather and other conditions which degrade visibility
and performance. |
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