INTELLIGENT TRANSPORT SYSTEMS: SAFETY AND HUMAN FACTORS ISSUES

The deployment of intelligent transport systems (ITS) technologies has the potential to yield a new wave of road safety and other benefits for Australia. It is critical for their success, however, that these systems are tailored to the specific safety needs of road users and that human factors knowledge and principles are incorporated into the design, deployment and evaluation of these systems. This report reviews the available literature on human factors and safety issues associated with various classes of ITS technologies, including both in-vehicle systems and out-vehicle systems. Particular emphasis is given to human factors issues associated with in-vehicle ITS technologies and to the potential safety benefits of ITS applications for high risk and vulnerable road users (in particular, young novice drivers, older drivers, pedestrians, motorcyclists, bicyclists and cultural minorities). ITS technologies currently available and under development are reviewed. This report concludes with recommendations for future action and research to better understand and exploit the potential safety benefits of ITS for all road users. (a)