Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

Twelve drivers detected changes in vehicle steering sensitivity in free maneuvering of limited duration. The changes were produced by diverse means, and drivers' discrimination of changes was determined as just noticeable differences in yaw rate sensitivity. These measures were not significantly different for changes being made in steering ratio, stability factor, and vehicle speed. This result supports the hypothesis that drivers detect changes in yaw rate sensitivity when attempting to discriminate changes in steering sensitivity. Drivers readily detected changes in yaw rate sensitivity, the overall average just noticeable difference being relatively small. It is suggested that yaw rate sensitivity is an input/output quantity of fundamental importance.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Brownlee

K. A.

Hodges

J. L.

Rosenblatt

The up-and-down method with small samples. American Statistical Association Journal, 1953, 48, 262–277.

Bundorf

R. T.

The use of a variable-stability vehicle in handling research. S.A.E. paper number 650659, 1965.

Bundorf

R. T.

The influence of vehicle design parameters on characteristic speed and understeer. General Motors Corporation, 3203, 1967.

Dixon

W. J.

Mood

A. M.

A method for obtaining and analysing sensitivity data. American Statistical Association Journal, 1948, 43, 109–126.

Good

M. C.

Rolls

K. J.

Joubert

P. N.

Driver-vehicle behavior in free-path turns. Transportation Research, 1969, 3, 43–68.

Gordon

D. A.

Experimental isolation of drivers' visual input. Public Roads, 1966, 33, 266–273.

Hildebrandt

T. J.

Poskocil

A. R.

Objective testing in handling research. S.A.E. paper number 680015, 1968.

Hindle

Motor vehicle handling properties and driver control. Ergonomics, 1967, 10, 675–682.

Hoffmann

E. R.

Joubert

P. N.

The effect of changes in some vehicle handling variables on driver steering performance. Human Factors, 1966, 8, 245–263.

10.

Hoffmann

E. R.

Joubert

P. N.

Just noticeable differences in some vehicle handling variables. Human Factors, 1968, 10, 263–272.

11.

Hoffmann

E. R.

Human factors of automobile steering control. S.A.E. (Australasia) National Convention, paper 5, 1969.

12.

Kao

H. S. R.

Nagamachi

Visual-manual feedback mechanism in human vehicular performance. Ergonomics, 1969, 12, 741–751.

13.

Kappauf

W. E.

An empirical sampling study of the Dixon and Mood statistics for the up-and-down method of sensitivity testing. American Journal of Psychology, 1969, 82, 40–55.

14.

McLean

J. R.

Hoffmann

E. R.

Analysis of drivers' control movements. Human Factors, 1971, 13, 407–418.

15.

Segel

Theoretical prediction and experimental substantiation of the response of the automobile to steering control. Proceedings of the Automobile Division Institution of Mechanical Engineers, 1956–7, 7, 310–330.

16.

Shoemaker

Dell'Amico

A pilot experiment on driver task performance with fixed and variable steering ratio. Buffalo, N.Y.: Cornell Aeronautical Laboratory, VK-2185-V-1R, September, 1966.

17.

Sweatman

Joubert

P. N.

The Melbourne University variable characteristic car. Proceedings of the Australian Road Research Board, Sixth Conference, Canberra, 1972, 6, 441–456.

18.

Wetherill

G. B.

Sequential methods in statistics. London: Methuen, 1966.

Detection of Changes in Automobile Steering Sensitivity

Abstract

Get full access to this article

References