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Citation
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Tough D, Grover C, Avery M. 27th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV); April 3-6, 2023; Abstract #: 23-0274, pp. 11p. Washington, DC USA: US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2023 open access. |
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Abstract
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27th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV): Enhanced and Equitable Vehicle Safety for All: Toward the Next 50 Years
https://www-esv.nhtsa.dot.gov/Proceedings/27/27ESV-000274.pdf
There is increasing availability of assisted driving technology on vehicles and manufacturers are developing innovative features and functionality. When the driver engages assisted driving technology, the vehicle supports the driver with the steering and speed control, however the driver retains the responsibility for the safe driving. Assisted driving offers the potential safety benefits of improved speed and headway regulation and lane guidance, addressing the most common front-to-rear crash type and lane drifting and run-off road crashes. Because the systems relieve some of the driving workload, fatigue is also addressed. However, system implementation must be carefully considered to ensure the driver remains engaged with the driving task. Assisted driving systems are implemented differently by individual vehicle manufactures. The objective of this research was to identify the key features that lead to safe implementation of assisted driving technology, enabling the development of a consumer safety grading scheme to guide vehicle manufacturers to safe implementation and provide an independent, objective means of assessing systems. Vehicle Assistance and Driver Engagement were identified as the two critical aspects. The level of assistance provided must be matched by the perception of the driver and the ability of the system to keep the driver engaged. Vehicle Assistance assesses the steering support technology and the selection and application of appropriate speed control. Driver Engagement assesses driving collaboration, driver monitoring and system status in use, and also the consumer information including how the system is named, marketed and its appropriate usage described. A third key area identified for safe implementation was Safety Backup, namely the advanced emergency support the system provides in case of an imminent collision beyond the capability of the assistance, in case of an unresponsive driver who becomes disengaged for a long period, or a system failure. The research was implemented by developing test and assessment protocols in association with Euro NCAP acknowledging the results of broad range of research vehicle testing. A four-tier grading scheme was developed (Entry, Moderate, Good and Very Good) ranking vehicles on the sum of Assistance Competence (balancing Vehicle Assistance and Driver Engagement) and Safety Backup. To date, 21 vehicles have been assessed and a range of results have been achieved that span across the four grades, indicating the relevance of the scheme and its ability to differentiate systems. The scheme has identified an apparent imbalance between Vehicle Assistance and Driver Engagement in one case. In another, a vehicle has been reassessed and gained an improved grading after an over-the-air update. A limitation of the grading scheme is it is currently focused on highway functionality, whereas assisted driving technology can be utilised by the driver wherever the system deems it is capable of operating. In this first iteration of the grading scheme, only interaction on highway-like roads with other restricted vehicle types has been considered. Expanding the assessment beyond highway usage will necessarily involve assisted driving relevant interactions with a broader range of road types and features, traffic control and road users etc.
Language: en |