Experimental design and evaluation of Networked Traveler field tests of safety applications in California

This paper describes the experimental design for the field tests of safety applications within the scope of Networked Traveler Project currently being conducted in California, which is part of the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) and California DOT-sponsored Safe-Trip 21 Initiative. The safety applications are designed to provide drivers with alerts of situational awareness in highway driving scenarios. The objectives of the field tests are to verify the technical approach and to collect user feedback to refine the applications for future implementation. In this paper, the functional descriptions, technical rationale and hypotheses of experimental design are given. These applications, when deployed with timely alerts to drivers, can potentially increase driver awareness of the driving environment on the road ahead and minimize risks.