Note on Driver Adaptation to Modified Vehicle Starting Acceleration

Abstract

Driver behavior in crossing a highway was experimentally investigated for acar with normal starting acceleration characteristics and for this same car with reduced starting acceleration capabilities. It was found that subjects driving the car with its starting acceleration capabilities reduced required a larger time headway gap in front of an on-coming car before they would cross in front of its path. However, the increase in gap required was not as great as the additional time required to clear the path of the on-coming car.