In-Vehicle Passing Collision Warning System for Two-Lane Highways Considering Driver Characteristics

Abstract

Passing collisions are one of the most dangerous traffic safety problems. These head-on collisions occur when the driver of the passing vehicle is distracted or does not assess the situation appropriately. The purpose of this study is to develop a passing collision warning system (PCWS) for drivers on two-lane highways to prevent passing collisions and improve road safety. This paper presents a framework and algorithm design for a PCWS that ensures that drivers have an adequate sight distance for a safe passing maneuver. The system uses an available radar sensor to detect the closest opposing vehicle traveling in the left lane and calculates its position, speed, and acceleration rate to estimate the time to collision and compare it with the time required for the passing vehicle to clear the lane. Realistic initial time and passing time models were established using actual experimental field data collected using a global positioning system (GPS) data logger device that was installed in the passing, impeding, and opposing vehicles and used to record the position and speed of different passing vehicles at 1-s intervals. The MATLAB simulation was developed and used to replicate real-life passing maneuvers and was also used to create the algorithm for the proposed warning system. The passing maneuver parameters were selected from probability distribution curves based on field data. The simulation model determines the relative distance and speed of the opposing vehicle at four different time intervals. The different factors that impact system accuracy were also examined.