IN-VEHICLE DRIVER AID AT TRAFFIC SIGNALS

A FULL-SCALE WORKING MODEL OF A COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM WAS DEVELOPED AND EMPLOYED IN AN EMPIRICAL STUDY TO DETERMINE WHETHER AN IN-VEHICLE DRIVER AID COULD ASSIST AUTOMOBILE DRIVERS IN MAKING A SMOOTHER AND SAFER APPROACH TO A TRAFFIC SIGNAL INSTALLATION. THE DRIVER AID INFORMED DRIVERS THAT THEY WERE APPROACHING A SIGNALIZED LOCATION AND GAVE THEM INFORMATION ABOUT THE SIGNAL INDICATION THAT THEY WOULD ENCOUNTER ON THEIR ARRIVALS AT THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL. IT WAS DETERMINED FROM THIS ANALYSIS THAT THE SMOOTHNESS AND SAFETY OF TRAVEL APPROACHING A TRAFFIC SIGNAL INSTALLATION COULD BE IMPROVED BY THE USE OF A PERSONAL, DYNAMIC, IN-VEHICLE DISPLAY. EVEN THOUGH DRIVERS KNEW 1/3 MILE IN ADVANCE WHEN THEY WOULD BE STOPPED BY THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL, THEY ADJUSTED THEIR SPEEDS GRADUALLY AND GENERALLY REFUSED TO TRAVEL AT SPEEDS THAT SEEMED TO BE UNNATURALLY SLOW. A COMBINATION AUDITORY AND LIGHT DISPLAY, ACTIVATED APPROXIMATELY 500 FT IN ADVANCE OF THE SIGNAL AND HAVING A PERSONAL, BINARY MESSAGE (PREPARE TO STOP OR PLAN TO PROCEED), WAS RECOMMENDED FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrr/1972/414/414-002.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309020867
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Sponsored by Commiteee on Motorist Information Systems. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Bleyl, Robert L
• Conference:
  • 51st Annual Meeting of the Highway Research Board
  • Location: Washington District of Columbia, United States
  • Date: 1972-1-17 to 1972-1-21
• Publication Date: 1972

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 6-15
• Monograph Title: Motorist information systems
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Record
  • Issue Number: 414
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Communication systems; Driver information systems; Drivers; Reaction time; Speed change lanes; Traffic signals; Warning systems
• Uncontrolled Terms: Driver reaction
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00222086
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309020867
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-013 070
• Files: HSL, TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Apr 2 1983 12:00AM