Exploring Driver Responses to Unexpected and Expected Events Using Probabilistic Topic Models

Drivers’ expectations influence their responses to events in complex ways. In particular, covert and sustained hazards, like crosswinds, might require complex vehicle control adaptations. The authors investigated differences between drivers’ lateral responses in unexpected and expected (repeated) crosswind events using probabilistic topic modeling. First, each driver’s event-based steering wheel movements (angle and rate, 5 Hz) were transformed into symbolic words. Then, probabilistic topic modeling was used to discover patterns in the steering wheel movement data across the event conditions. Results indicate that drivers may make fewer abrupt steering wheel movements when they encounter unexpected crosswinds. On the contrary, drivers are more likely to make continuous faster steering corrections to compensate crosswinds when they are expected. The topic models also classify unexpected and expected crosswind events better than traditional models that use single aggregated values across events (maximum steering wheel angle and rate). These preliminary insights show an advantage for granular, time-series based analysis of driving data, and suggest a viable machine-learning based technique to conduct such investigations.

• Record URL:
  http://drivingassessment.uiowa.edu/sites/default/files/DA2017/papers/57.pdf
• 
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Abstract reprinted with permission of University of Iowa Public Policy Center.
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Iowa, Iowa City

  Public Policy Center
  Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  Iowa City, IA  United States  52242-1192
• Authors:
  • Venkatraman, Vindhya
  • Liang, Yulan
  • McLaurin, Elease J
  • Horrey, William J
  • 0000-0002-9533-4411
  • Lesch, Mary F
• Conference:
  • 9th International Driving Symposium on Human Factors in Driver Assessment, Training, and Vehicle Design
  • Location: Manchester Village Vermont, United States
  • Date: 2017-6-26 to 2017-6-29
• Publication Date: 2017

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 375-381
• Monograph Title: Driving Assessment 2017: Proceedings of the 9th International Driving Symposium on Human Factors in Driver Assessment, Training, and Vehicle Design

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crosswinds; Driver performance; Drivers; Steering
• Uncontrolled Terms: Probabilistic modeling
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01666970
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 24 2018 9:26AM