National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence Reports (NSTSCE, VTTI)
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Browsing National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence Reports (NSTSCE, VTTI) by Subject "automated driving"
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- Consumer Driving Automation System Education: A Learning and Retention AssessmentTrimble, Tammy E.; Baker, Stephanie Ann; Russell, Sheldon M.; Tidwell, Scott (National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence, 2020-07-08)For the potential safety benefits of driving automation systems to be fully realized, drivers must understand the capabilities and limitations of these systems. This study explored a range of materials that drivers may access when trying to learn about driving automation system safety features: owner’s manual only, owner’s manual and OEM website video or animation, and owner’s manual and MyCarDoesWhat.org videos. Three vehicles, a 2015 Infiniti Q50, a 2016 Honda CR-V, and a 2015 Chevy Tahoe, were selected to represent a range of vehicle types, sizes, technologies, and price points. Each training condition was tested with each vehicle for a total of nine possible testing scenarios. Thirty-six participants were recruited for the study, with an equal number of males and females from two age groups, 25–39 and 40–54 years old. Participants were balanced across the nine possible testing scenarios. A two-part study was conducted to assess participants’ ability to learn from existing training materials and to determine how well participants were able to retain what they learned. When taking into consideration participants’ self-reported learning styles, average scores across all technologies were fairly comparable across style, and participants were able gain at least a rudimentary understanding of the operation and purposes of driving automation system technologies. However, participants were less sure of the specifics associated with the technologies (i.e., activation, alerts or warnings, and appropriate use). Those in the multimedia testing conditions reported feeling more familiar with the technologies than those in the owner’s manual only condition. Participants found the videos to be an entertaining and easier-to-understand alternative to the manual. Several indicated that they would refer to the video first to see how the technology worked and then refer to the manual to gain a more in-depth understanding. Videos with sound and additional details were preferred to the simpler animations.
- Level 2 Automated Driving Systems: Market Inventory and Development of a Reference GuideWalters, Jacob (National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence, 2024-06-14)This study was a comprehensive research initiative focused on original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) with significant market shares of Level 2 (L2) automation features in model year 2022 and beyond vehicles. The primary goal of this research was to analyze and categorize operating constraints and human-machine interface (HMI) implementations associated with L2 advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), emphasizing complex functions and interactivity. The research also prioritized understanding the nuances in implementation across different OEMs, particularly within features like adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping technologies. This assessment focused on identifying and prioritizing OEMs with significant market shares and on-road presence of L2 automation features, streamlining the scope to vehicles with immediate impact. L2 ADAS features were emphasized, particularly adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping technologies, to understand their operational complexity and nuanced HMI components. HMI interactions were categorized across sensory modalities—visual, auditory, and haptic—encompassing all forms of feedback. Describing L2 ADAS features and their communication through HMIs was a key component, alongside creating an OEM matrix outlining feature implementations and conducting cross-OEM comparisons. The matrix is a living documented resource, with the intention that it will be continuously updated with new information, serving as a comprehensive reference for L2 automation features and HMIs. Lessons learned underscore the need for deeper exploration given the variance in OEM approaches and potential pandemic-related supply chain impacts at the time of the initial data collection phase. This research initiative aims to illuminate the landscape of L2 automation features and their intricate HMI interactions, ultimately contributing to a better understanding of these technologies for both internal and external stakeholders.
- Vehicle Information Reporting SystemsFitzgerald, Kaitlyn; Blanco, Myra (National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence, 2020-09-22)The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) standard currently tracks data elements such as manufacturing details, vehicle descriptors, vehicle security codes, and serial numbers. To date, the VIN standard does not include information on safety features or vehicle equipment. Expanding the standard to indicate the presence of automated driving systems and advanced driving assistance systems could allow the efficacy and impact of these technologies on crash avoidance and crash mitigation to be more accurately determined. The research team held a series of meetings to solicit stakeholder feedback on a expanding the VIN and a number of Vehicle Information Reporting System (VIRS) alternatives. The six alternatives involved two methods of implementing a modified VIN, barcodes, optical chips, event data recorders, and a write-in option for a “participant-specified” VIRS alternative. Qualitative data of the feedback meetings was obtained from transcriptions and was further analyzed to identify preferences for VIRS alternative options. Quantitative data was obtained using a Likert-type survey adapted from the System Usability Scale. Unfortunately, due to time and budget constraints, no original equipment manufacturers participated in this project. Thus, this feasibility study may offer an incomplete view without this feedback.
- Voluntary Versus Mandatory Standards: Analysis of Voluntary and Mandatory Regulations Use Cases to Address Rapidly Developing TechnologiesMaheshwary, Anurag; Fitzgerald, Kaitlyn; Trimble, Tammy E.; Blanco, Myra (National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence, 2021-04-20)This report examines the approaches that are being used by a variety of institutions to regulate rapidly emerging technologies in transportation. Several case studies were examined to determine if there are relevant criteria and situational contexts that determine an agency’s choice of either voluntary standards (industry self-regulation) or governmental rulemaking. From this case study analysis, the research team identified the following: • “Voluntary” and “mandatory” models of rulemaking are not binary choices; rather they are different points along a continuum. • The federal government, including the Department of Transportation, have developed regulatory tools that rely on both voluntary and mandatory approaches to accommodate innovation. • Alternative approaches of rulemaking utilized by other agencies, such as a cooperative mixed-model, may be useful for future regulation of automated vehicles.