The Division of Vehicle, Driver, & System Safety applies innovative scientific methods to solve the complex transportation challenges of today and tomorrow, focusing on applications to improve the safety and effectiveness of transportation systems for the broad range of users. We support the development and evaluation of advanced technologies and operations using our laboratories, numerical models, test-tracks, field studies and analysis toolchains. The applied nature of our work is intended to support original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), automotive suppliers, policy makers, and infrastructure owner operators in designing and improving the effectiveness of systems by quantifying performance benefits, resilience, unintended consequences, and potential misuse while also characterizing user acceptance, reliance, comprehension, and understanding of advanced vehicle and infrastructure systems.
Unfortunately, there is some evidence that driver behavior may be detrimentally impacted by the use of advanced-vehicle technologies; however, more research is needed regarding the possible adverse effects of driving automation systems on driver behavior (e.g., distraction and overreliance upon the system).
Currently, there is no existing single standard when it comes to ADAS and crash avoidance testing procedures, which means each testing program that assesses and rates advanced safety systems may have its own testing and rating process. As such, the goal of this project was to examine differences between ADAS test procedures conducted by test programs across the globe.
In collaboration with the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, VTTI developed and implemented a pilot sentinel surveillance system at two Level I trauma centers: one in Roanoke, VA, and the other in Winston-Salem, NC.