Collision Avoidance Via Emergency Steering Warning System: A Driving Simulator Approach

This study analyzes the viability of an Emergency Steering Warning System (ESWS) to improve the safety of vehicles on highways traveling in the same direction. The proposed system evaluates the vehicle’s physical limits, driver’s reaction and assists in making the most logical decision to avoid a crash using a sound or a similar stimulus. Typical driving simulator events were designed in MATLAB/Simulink and IPG/CarMaker co-simulation environment. In the predetermined scenario, the leading vehicles suddenly move into the host vehicle’s lane and the driver is expected to avoid crash by either steering or braking. The ESWS system generates a sound stimulus when it is determined that the crash is unavoidable with the use of service brakes and the only way to avoid the obstacle is steering. The simulation events were performed by a group of participants using a driver simulator with and without the ESWS system. The proposed ESWS encouraged participants to do an earlier and smoother steering maneuver which can be advantageous in some certain critical traffic situations. The statistical results showed that the sound stimulus reduced the drivers’ reaction time significantly and a number of accidents can be avoided by the suggested crash warning system.