COMBINED EFFECT OF NOISE, INFRASOUND AND VIBRATION ON DRIVER PERFORMANCE

The study utilizes a driving simulator in which the seat and all instrumentation imitated a bus driver's working place. A moving-road film which was laterally displaced corresponding to the steering of the driver was projected on a screen ahead of the driver. Noise and vertical vibrations were produced to match both amplitude and spectra of measured bus environments. An infrasound signal was also added to simulate the extreme low end of the spectrum. The driver's tasks were chosen as realistically as possible: his primary, continuous task was to steer the "bus" with the smallest possible lateral variation to compensate for a random disturbance. Another primary task -although not continuous -was to brake the "bus" at certain instants when a lamp was suddenly switched on. The secondary task was to keep the speed of the "bus" at a certain level. Most real highway driving has exactly these ingredients: to steer, to react fast (brake) and to adjust the speed. The performance was measured as the rms steering deviation from an "ideal" lateral road position, the average reaction time and the rms speed deviation. An exposure time of 3 h was used to simulate a boring long-distance highway drive. An evaluation showed that the effect of relatively high-level noise and vibrations on driver performance is more positive than negative in a long and relatively monotonous journey. Especially it may counteract an otherwise quite serious effect of high-level infrasound. The present trend towards lower noise levels (below ca 70 db(a)) in road vehicles together with unaffected or even increased infrasound is not desired. A matched reduction of noise and infrasound is better. (Author/TRRL)

  • Supplemental Notes:
    • This paper was presented at the 1983 International Conference on Noise Control Engineering (Inter-Noise 83) in Edinburgh, Great Britain, 13-15 July 1983.
  • Corporate Authors:

    Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI)

    Linköping,   Sweden  SE-581 95
  • Authors:
    • Sandberg, U
  • Publication Date: 1983

Media Info

  • Features: Figures; References;
  • Pagination: 4 p.
  • Serial:
    • Issue Number: 86

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00394331
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Source Agency: Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI)
  • Report/Paper Numbers: Monograph
  • Files: ITRD, TRIS
  • Created Date: Jul 31 1985 12:00AM