Synthetic Drivers’ Performance Measures Related to Vehicle Dynamics to Control Road Safety in Curves

Abstract

The road alignment design relies on the knowledge of vehicle dynamics variables. However, it assumes that drivers faithfully follow the lane axis on straights and curves. Deviating from this assumption leads to unexpected outcomes and can significantly impact users’ safety. In this context, vehicle speed and longitudinal acceleration play a crucial role as key references in the international standards. They provide insights into critical driving aspects; therefore, it is essential to thoroughly analyze their real trends. Broad data collection campaigns should derive synthetic indicators in order to highlight eventual significant deviations between the ideal and real dynamics. To achieve this objective, the authors propose some indexes deduced during an experimental study with a Sim-Easy driving simulator, by AVSimulation. Importantly, these indicators can be freely applied in real driving scenarios without limitations. These indexes were tested on four different horizontal curves and proved effective in identifying relevant characteristics related to longitudinal acceleration and speed. Looking ahead, by analyzing similar data for numerous driving contexts on real roads, infrastructure managers could use this methodology to identify those sections with increased vulnerability for users’ safety. Moreover, the collected data from sensors, processed using these indicators, can be filtered and transmitted to users (via ADAS tools) while driving on a specific road to provide timely warnings about potential difficulties. The indicators control the physical variable (acceleration or speed) on a certain geometric element with reference to what is prescribed by the standard. For example, the acceleration indicators are normalized with respect to a threshold value while for speed indexes, the result depends on the difference between the end control points of the geometrical element. In both cases, international regulations report prescribed or recommended reference values, so the analyst is immediately aware of any critical issues in the maneuver.