Effective Indicators of Partially Automated Truck Platooning

Despite the advanced progress in automated trucking and platooning technologies, the effects of truck platoons on other road users, and vice versa, remain unclear. Interactions between light and heavy vehicles have important implications for road safety as well as public acceptance of heavy truck automation. In addition to other drivers’ potentially disruptive or risky behavior around truck platoons, the way in which road users perceive and respond to truck platoons is likely to influence societal trust in, and continued adoption of, similar automated driving technologies. Given that most drivers of light vehicles will be unfamiliar with platooning technology during its early deployment, communicating information about truck platoon operations to surrounding road users may improve drivers’ comfort and perceived safety near platoons, facilitate earlier and safer navigational planning, and discourage cut-ins between platooning trucks. However, standards regarding signing or indicators for automated vehicles and truck platoons have yet to be established. Therefore, this research effort first sought to identify terms and language that appropriately reflect platoon operations and characteristics. After identifying recognizable terms and essential platoon characteristics, the research team developed a set of four novel signs and indicators designed to support road user comprehension, comfort, and safety near truck platoons. A follow-up experiment evaluated the effectiveness of these novel signs and indicators in supporting road user comprehension and perceived safety of a simulated partially automated two-truck platoon.

• Record URL:
  https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/21016/21016.pdf
• Summary URL:
  https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/21016/index.cfm
• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/54588
• Authors:
  • Roldan, Stephanie
  • 0000-0002-1849-2934
  • Gonzalez, Tracy
  • 0000-0003-2672-1343
• Publication Date: 2021-1

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 5p
• Serial:
  • TechBrief
  • Publisher: Federal Highway Administration
• Publication flags:

  Open Access (libre)

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Autonomous vehicles; Comprehension; Definitions; Drivers; Traffic platooning; Traffic safety; Traffic signs; Trucks
• Subject Areas: Highways; Motor Carriers; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01765750
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA-HRT-21-016
• Files: NTL, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT
• Created Date: Feb 23 2021 10:25AM