Developing a Forward Collision Warning System Timing and Interface Approach by Placing Drivers in Realistic Rear-End Crash Situations

Abstract

Forward Collision Warning (FCW) systems are intended to reduce the harm caused by rear-end crashes. As part of the GM-Ford Crash Avoidance Metrics Partnership FCW project, four closed-course studies were conducted. These studies were focused on defining when to present FCW system crash alerts to drivers (i.e., the crash alert timing approach) and how to present FCW system crash alerts to drivers (i.e., visual, auditory, and/or haptic alerts). This project developed a “surrogate target” methodology which allowed experimenters to safely place inattentive drivers in realistic, “surprise” rear-end crash scenarios and observe their behavior. Results from these studies provided support for the deceleration-based crash alert timing approach developed, and support coupling the visual and non-speech tone alert components evaluated for FCW system implementation.

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