EFFECT OF FREE CONTROL VARIABLES ON AUTOMOBILE HANDLING - A PILOT STUDY

Experiments were performed to investigate the effects of free control variables on driver/vehicle performance, using the MelBourne University variable characteristics car (vcc). Lane tracking, disturbance regulation and lane change manoeuvres were used. The steering wheel torque gradient (nm/g), damping and effective inertia were varied with one fixed control vehicle configuration. Objective performance measures and subjective driver ratings were used to assess the effects of the free control variables. Free control characteristics appear to have a significant effect on vehicle handling. Steering wheel torque gradient appears to have less effect on handling performance, but drivers showed a distinct subjective preference for torque gradients in the range 10 - 20 nm/g. Many of the results obtained lack statistical significance, most likely because of the small number of subjects and the short record lengths available for data analysis. (a) This report was also issued as Australian Road Research Internal Report Air 252-3. /TRRL/

• Corporate Authors:

  Melbourne University, Australia

  Grattan Street
  Parkville, Victoria 3052,   Australia 
• Authors:
  • Dorey, A D
  • Joubert, P N
• Publication Date: 1978-9

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 62 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automated vehicle control; Damping (Physics); Driver performance; Drivers; Driving; Evaluation and assessment; Handling characteristics; Highway grades; Human factors; Human machine systems; Inertia; Motor reactions; Motor skills; Personnel performance; Rutting; Safety vehicles; Slopes; Steering; Steering wheels; Torque; Variance
• Old TRIS Terms: Man machine interaction; Tracking (Wheel)
• ITRD Terms: 1855: Driving (veh); 9020: Evaluation (assessment); 2257: Human factor; 2247: Reaction (human); 3081: Rutting (wheel); 2205: Skill (road user); 1834: Steering (process); 1307: Steering wheel; 1646: Vehicle handling
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00194034
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Report/Paper Numbers: Human Factors Rpt 34Monograph
• Files: ITRD, TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: May 26 1979 12:00AM