Driver reliability and behavior study based on a car simulator station tests in ACC system scenarios

Nowadays Advanced Driver Assistant Systems (ADAS) are becoming more popular in car equipment. During ADAS development process it is necessary to prepare numerical models and perform simulation tests, so the systems could be safely implemented. However, because these systems are directly connected to a human – machine interface, volunteer tests on a car simulator are conducted. They are indispensable for testing the correct operation of the system, but above all for showing differences in the operation of the system and a driver in terms of human reliability. Presented research shows results of simulator tests in two cases: extra - urban and mixed scenarios. The tests were classic, tracking tasks in which the driver was required to keep a safe, predefined distance from the leading car. Consequently, the results of experiments were compared to results of the reference car performance, i.e. the car equipped with Adaptative Cruise Control system. It made possible to assess the driver reliability. Moreover, questionnaire tests (NASA TLX) were also applied to assess subjects’ workload. Finally, results of volunteers’ rides were compared to results of a simulation with use a driver model based on fuzzy logic. This model, in the future, may be used in development of a car simulator equipped with ADAS.