Browsing by Author "Neurauter, Michael L."

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    Assessing Alternate Approaches for Conveying Automated Vehicle Intentions
    Basantis, Alexis Rae (Virginia Tech, 2019-10-30)
    Objectives: Research suggests the general public has a lack of faith in highly automated vehicles (HAV) stems from a lack of system transparency while in motion (e.g., the user not being informed on roadway perception or anticipated responses of the car in certain situations). This problem is particularly prevalent in public transit or ridesharing applications, where HAVs are expected to debut, and when the user has minimal training on, and control over, the vehicle. To improve user trust and their perception of comfort and safety, this study aimed to develop more detailed and tailored human-machine interfaces (HMI) aimed at relying automated vehicle intended actions (i.e., "intentions") and perceptions of the driving environment to the user. Methods: This project developed HMI systems, with a focus on visual and auditory displays, and implemented them into a HAV developed at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI). Volunteer participants were invited to the Smart Roads at VTTI to experience these systems in real-world driving scenarios, especially ones typically found in rideshare or public transit operations. Participant responses and opinions about the HMIs and their perceived levels of comfort, safety, trust, and situational awareness were captured via paper-based surveys administered during experimentation. Results: There was a considerable link found between HMI modality and users' reported levels of comfort, safety, trust, and situational awareness during experimentation. In addition, there were several key behavioral factors that made users more or less likely to feel comfortable in the HAV. Conclusions: Moving forward, it will be necessary for HAVs to provide ample feedback to users in an effort to increase system transparency and understanding. Feedback should consistently and accurately represent the driving landscape and clearly communicate vehicle states to users.
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    Enhanced Night Visibility Series, Volume XII: Overview of Phase II and Development of Phase III Experimental Plan
    Hankey, Jonathan M.; Blanco, Myra; Neurauter, Michael L.; Gibbons, Ronald B.; Porter, Richard J.; Dingus, Thomas A. (United States. Federal Highway Administration, 2005-12)
    This volume provides an overview of the six studies that compose Phase II of the Enhanced Night Visibility project and the experimental plan for its third and final portion, Phase III. The Phase II studies evaluated up to 12 vision enhancement systems in terms of drivers' ability to detect and recognize objects, visibility of pavement markings, and discomfort caused by glare from oncoming headlamps. Drivers' ability to detect and recognize objects was assessed in clear, rain, fog, and snow conditions. The results indicated that supplemental ultraviolet headlamps do not provide sufficient benefit to justify further testing. The performance of supplemental infrared (IR) vision enhancement systems, on the other hand, was robust enough to suggest further investigation. As a result, additional IR testing, disability glare testing, and off-axis object detection on the Virginia Smart Road were proposed as a replacement for public road Phase III testing with UV-A. The details of the experimental plan for each of these testing areas are provided in the Phase III portion of this report.
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    Human Factors Evaluation of an In-Vehicle Active Traffic and Demand Management (ATDM) System
    Sykes, Kayla Paris (Virginia Tech, 2016-04-04)
    This research study focused on the development and subsequent evaluation of an in-vehicle Active Traffic and Demand Management (ATDM) system deployed on I-66. The ATDM elements inside the vehicle allowed drivers to remain consistently aware of traffic conditions and roadway requirements even if external signage was inaccessible. Forty participants were accompanied by a member of the research team and experienced the following features from the in-vehicle device (IVD): 1) dynamic speed limits, 2) dynamic lane use/shoulder control, 3) High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) restrictions, and 4) variable message signs (VMS). This system was equipped with auditory and visual alerts to notify the driver when relevant information was updated. The research questions addressed distraction, desirability, and driver behavior associated with the system. Participant data was collected from the instrumented vehicle, various surveys, and researcher observation. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Tukey-Kramer tests were performed to analyze participant eye glance durations towards the IVD and instrument cluster. Wilcoxon signed rank tests were used to draw conclusions from participant speed data and some survey responses. Several key findings were uncovered related to each research category: 1) the IVD would not be classified as a distraction according to NHTSA distraction guidelines, 2) seventy-three percent of participants would want the in-vehicle technology in their next vehicle, and 3) the speed limit alert motivated participants to alter their speed (based on both survey results and actual participant speed data).
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    Multidimensional Warnings: Determining an Appropriate Stimulus for a Curve-Warning Device
    Neurauter, Michael L. (Virginia Tech, 2001-08-21)
    An average of 42,000 fatalities occur on the United States of America's roads each year as a result of motor-vehicle crashes (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2003). The dangers with respect to curves exist, from late notification of direction and speed, varying methods for determining advisory speeds, as well as driver unfamiliarity and/or over confidence. A curve-warning device, a device that notifies the driver of an upcoming curve and, possibly, conveys its vehicle-specific advisory speed and even direction, has the potential to drastically reduce the dangers of curve navigation. This study was performed as a proof of concept with regard to appropriate modalities and respective stimuli for a curve warning application. For this study, objective and subjective measurements were collected in a simulator environment to compare conditions comprised of multiple stimuli from the auditory (icon, tone, and speech), visual (Heads Down Display and Heads Up Display), and haptic (throttle push-back) modalities. The results of the study show that the speech stimulus was the most appropriate of the auditory stimuli for both objective and subjective measurements. Objectively, the HDD and HUD were comparable with respect to performance, although the participants tended to favor the HDD in their subjective ratings. The throttle push-back did little to positively impact the performance measurements, and based on participant comments and ratings, it is not recommended for a curve-warning application. Of the stimulus conditions (combinations of two and three modalities), the Speech and HDD condition provided performance gains and subjective acceptability above the rest of the conditions.
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    Pediatric Vehicular Heatstroke: Review of Literature and Preventative Technologies
    Glenn, Eric; Glenn, T. Laurel; Neurauter, Michael L. (National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence, 2019-10-08)
    Pediatric vehicular heatstroke (PVH) was the leading cause of nontraffic child fatalities in the United States in 2018. On average, there are 38 PVH fatalities in the U.S. each year, for a total of 905 child fatalities on record and thousands of non-fatal injuries. PVH can occur when a child gains access to a vehicle without parental knowledge or is intentionally or unintentionally left in the vehicle, and the temperature in the vehicle rises to a dangerous level from ambient heating. To safeguard against children being left behind in vehicles, legislation has been introduced in Congress to require rear seat reminder technologies (RSRTs) in passenger vehicles of less than 10,000 pounds. RSRTs provide audible and visual reminders to drivers when they leave their vehicles to check the rear seat for a child. This report reviews the literature on PVH, discusses both original equipment manufacturer and aftermarket RSRTs, and offers guidelines on how to make future RSRTs more effective and consumer friendly.