This paper is concerned with the description and analysis of a series of automobile headlighting experiments, the primary objective of which, was the detection of dark obstacle targets simulating hazardous objects encountered during night driving. The influences of atmospheric luminance, dynamic vehicle pitch, target shadow enhancement, as well as observer characteristics relating to fixation duration and glare sensitivity are included in the analysis of field detection trials. Several different measures of target visibility have been employed. It is shown that a centroidal value of target luminance difference can be used as an index of the detection of hazard-like objects.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Hills, B.L., Ltg. Res. & Technol., 7, 179 and 251 (1975); 8, 11 (1976).
2.
Pinkney, H.F.L., et al., A systems engineering study of night visibility with automobile headlighting, Mechanical Engineering Report MS-140, National Research Council of Canada (1977).
3.
Huculak, P., A visibility analysis of obstacle detection experimentation in unopposed automotive headlighting. Mechanical Engineering Report MS-141, National Research Council of Canada (1978).
4.
Hucuiak, P., The of on the detection of hazardous objects in automobile night driving , Mechanical Engineering Report MS-142, National Research Council of Canada (1978).
5.
Pinkney, H.F.L., et al., Application of a photographic method to study the luminance distribution governing visibility in night driving, Mechanical Engineering Report MS-138, National Research Council of Canada (1976).
6.
Huculak, P., Ascertaining the effects of atmospheric factors on visibility conditions in automobile headlight experimentation, (submitted for Publication to IES (USA)).
7.
Huculak, P., Contrast sensitivity of participants in automobile headlight experiments , Laboratory Technical Report LTR-ST-600, National Research Council of Canada (1973).
8.
Blackwell, O.M. , and Blackwell, H.R., Visual performance data for 156 normal observers of various ages. J. Illum. Eng. Soc. (USA), 1, 3 ( 1971).
9.
Huculak, P., Visual detection capability of normal observers: a comparison of the results of various investigators, Laboratory Technical Report LTR-ST-834, National Research Council of Canada (1976).
10.
Huculak, P. , Detection potential of normal observers at visibility conditions prevailing in automobile night driving, Ltg. Res. & Technol., 14, 106 (1982).
11.
Fisher, A.J. , and Christie, A.W., A note on disability glare. Vision Research, 5, 565 (1965).
12.
Huculak, P. , A formulation of the transient adaptation mechanisms of automobile night driving. Ltg. Res. & Technol. , 14,111 (1982).
13.
Boynton, R.M. , and Miller, N.D., Visual performance under conditions of transient adaptation, Illumin. Eng., 58, 541 (1963).
14.
Boynton, R.M. , et al, Visibility losses produced by transient adaptational changes in the range from 0.4 to 4000 footlamberts, Illumin. Eng., 64, 217 (1969).
15.
Whitcomb, T. , Aero forces on critical speed of automobiles , CAL Report No. YM-2262-F-1 (1966).
16.
Kristofferson, A.B., and O'Connell , R.H., The detectability of targets containing internal luminance gradients, Willow Run Laboratories Report 2144-297-T, University of Michigan (1958 ).
17.
Middleton, W.E.K. , Vision through the atmosphere, University of Toronto Press (1952).
18.
Rackoff, N.S. , and Rockwell, T.H., Driver search and scan patterns in night driving, in Driver visual needs in night driving, TRB Special Report 156, National Research Council, Washington, D.C. (1975).
19.
D. W., Strong, J. and Huizinga, M., Applied Optics , 13(11), 2723 (1974).
