AN AUDIBLE AUTOMOBILE BACK-UP PEDESTRIAN WARNING DEVICE - DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION

The purpose of the study was to develop and field-test an audible back-up warning device for use on automobiles. Detailed criteria of pedestrian age and hearing ability combined with noise characteristics of typical accident sites provide the basis for selection of a warning signal format. The warning signal (a tone at 1250 Hz pulsed on for 0.1 sec and off for 0.2 sec) is generated by a small loudspeaker mounted at the rear of the vehicle. An essential element of the design, that the system sense the ambient level and adjust its output accordingly, results in a warning signal level approximately equal to the A-weighted noise level throughout the danger zone. This is comparable to a level at least 10 dB above the pedestrian's detection threshold. Evaluation of a prototype system was conducted in typical parking sites using pedestrian subjects of opportunity. Results comparing the normal situation with a test sequence using the warning signal indicated a tenfold improvement in the number of pedestrians warned of the presence of a backing vehicle.

• 
• Record URL:
  • https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/1160
• Corporate Authors:

  Wyle Laboratories

  128 Maryland Street
  El Segundo, CA  United States  90245

  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

  Office of Management Systems, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Brown, R
  • SUTHERLAND, L C
• Publication Date: 1976-11

Media Info

• Pagination: 165 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Acoustic equipment; Acoustic signal processing; Age; Automobiles; Hearings; Noise; Parking lots; Pedestrians; Prevention; Safety; Traffic safety; Warning systems
• Uncontrolled Terms: Loudspeakers
• Old TRIS Terms: Acoustic signals
• Subject Areas: Environment; Highways; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies; Terminals and Facilities;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00151171
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: WR-76-12 Final Rpt., DOT-HS-802-083
• Contract Numbers: DOT-HS-5-01185
• Files: NTIS, NTL, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Mar 30 1977 12:00AM