On-Road Versus Simulator Data in Driver Model Development Driver Performance Model Experience

Abstract

Driver Performance Model (DPM) development has provided results reflecting on the debate between on-road and driving-simulator data in driving research. Developed for FHWA, DPM is a computational micro-process model of driver behavior that has been designed to simulate—in detail—the driver’s perceptual, cognitive, and control processes to generate steering, braking, and acceleration inputs to the vehicle. The requirement to develop driver data for prediction of absolute on-road performance—versus typical interest in ordinal findings to be later validated via on-road studies—led to the collection of comparable on-road and simulator data and their subsequent comparison. Comparisons of corresponding curve-entry speeds and speed profiles revealed a profound divergence between the on-road and simulator results (t = 9.39, p < .005). Compared with simulator drivers, on-road drivers tended to have higher curve-entry speeds for the more difficult (sharper) curves and lower speeds for the less difficult curves. This trend, though reduced in magnitude, was apparent even after statistical adjustments for differences in respective tangent speeds (t = 2.67, p < .01). These results are discussed in light of emerging on-road and simulator capabilities. The discussion and earlier results altogether supported two conclusions: (a) debate concerning on-road versus simulator research studies is likely to continue with their rapidly emerging individual capabilities, and (b) on-road research currently provides the best basis for driver model development where one-to-one real-world predictions are required (e.g., DPM).

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Meister

The History of Human Factors. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Mahwah, N.J., 1999.

Green

Automotive Techniques. In Research Techniques in Human Engineering ( Weimer

, ed.), Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N.J., 1995, pp. 165–208.

Meister

Simulation and Modeling. In Evaluation of Human Work, 2nd ed. ( Wilson

J. R.

and Corlett

E. N.

, eds.), Taylor and Francis, Bristol, Pa., 1995, pp. 202–228.

Bittner

A. C.

Jr. , and Simsek

. Simulator Validation: Methods and Illustrations. Paper 00SVR019. ISATA 2000 Conference Proceedings— Simulation and Virtual Reality, Epson House, Epson, United Kingdom, 2000, pp. 63–69.

Simsek

, Kantowitz

B. H.

, Levison

W. H.

, and Bittner

A. C.

Jr. Development of Prototype Driver Models for Highway Design. Task B: Speed-Decision Simulator Experiment. Battelle Human Factors Transportation Center, Seattle, Wash., 2000.

Simsek

, Bittner

A. C.

Jr. , Levison

W. H.

, and Garness

. Development of Prototype Driver Models for Highway Design. Task B: Curve-Entry Speed-Decision Vehicle Experiment. Battelle Human Factors Transportation Center, Seattle, Wash., 2000.

Levison

W. H.

, Simsek

, Bittner

A. C.

Jr. , and Hunn

S. J.

. Computational Techniques Used in the Driver Performance Model of the Interactive Highway Safety Design Model. In Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, No. 1779, TRB, National Research Council, Washington, D.C., 2001, pp. 17–25.

Levison

W. H.

, Bittner

A. C.

Jr. , Robbins

, and Campbell

J. L.

. Development of Prototype Driver Models for Highway Design. Task C: Develop and Test Prototype Driver Performance Model (DPM). Battelle Human Factors Transportation Center, Seattle, Wash., 2001.

Hettinger

L. J.

, Berbaum

K. S.

, Kennedy

R. S.

, Dunlap

W. P.

, and Nolan

M. D.

. Vection and Simulator Sickness. Military Psychology, Vol. 2, No. 3, 1990, pp. 171–181.

10.

Lestienne

, Soechting

, and Berthoz

. Postural Readjustments Induced by Linear Motion of Visual Scenes. Experimental Brain Research, Vol. 28, 1977, pp. 363–384.

11.

Boer

E. R.

, Girshik

A. R.

, Yamamura

, and Kuge

. Experiencing the Same Road Twice: A Driver Centered Comparison Between Simulation and Reality. Driving Simulation Conference 2000, Paris, Sept. 6-7, 2000.

12.

Fitzpatrick

, Wooldridge

M. D.

, Tsimhoni

, Collins

J. M.

, Green

, Bauer

, Parma

K. D.

, Koppa

, Harwood

D. W.

, Krammes

R. A.

, and Poggioli

. Alternative Design Consistency Rating Methods for Two-Lane Rural Highways. Report FHWA-RD-99-172. FHWA, U.S. Department of Transportation, 2000.

13.

Remond

, Kemen

, Droulez

, and Berthoz

. Role of Lateral Acceleration in Curve Driving: Driver Model and Experiments in a Real Vehicle and Driving Simulator. Human Factors, Vol. 43, No. 3, 2001, pp. 483–495.

14.

Snee

R. D.

, and Pfeifer

C. G.

. Graphical Representation of Data. In Encyclopedia of Statistical Sciences ( Kotz

, Johnson

N. L.

, and Read

C. B.

, eds.), Vol. 3, John Wiley and Sons, New York, 1983, pp. 488–511.

15.

Franke

, Mehring

, Suissa

, and Hahn

. The Daimler-Benz Steering Assistant: A Spin-Off from Autonomous Driving. Proceedings of the Intelligent Vehicles ’94 Symposium, Paris, Oct. 24, 1994.

16.

Levison

W. H.

, Bittner

A. C.

Jr. , and Schreiner

. Development of Prototype Driver Models for Highway Design. Task B: Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) Vehicle Experiments. Battelle Human Factors Transportation Center, Seattle, Wash., 2001.