Abstract
A prototype vehicle has been developed that incorporates a driver support
system aimed at improving the driver's awareness of changing situations ahead and at
reducing the frequency of approaching too closely to a lead vehicle. This system employs the
idea of an imaginary repulsive force that increases as the host vehicle approaches the vehicle
ahead. The imaginary repulsive force is used to determine the accelerator pedal reactive force
and to control the host vehicle's driving and braking forces. This paper consists of two parts,
development of driver support prototype vehicle and evaluation study to clarify effectiveness
of the proposed prototype system. The development part describes the concept and functions
of the prototype system, explain the purpose of the system as well as basic system architecture.
The evaluation part presents a validation study that clarifies effectiveness of the system when
used by ordinary drivers. Test track experiment was carried out using thirteen young and
elderly drivers following a lead vehicle. Driving performance were quantified based on time
headway distributions and coherence technique measures of coherence, modulation and delay.
These results clearly indicated that not only a prototype system reduced frequency in coming
too close to a lead vehicle, but the prototype system also enhanced situation awareness with
regard to the perception of the change of time headway and allowed the driver maintain time
headway range that drivers wanted to stay.
Keywords - Driver Support, Vehicle Control, Accelerator Pedal Force, Driver Behavior, Car Following