Sustainable Design of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems Based on Optimization and Empirical Studies on Full-Size Light-Duty Pickup Trucks

Abstract

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) have become increasingly commonplace in all types of vehicle models in the last decade. The majority of studies have focused on smaller vehicles with gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) under 6,000lbs, predominantly sedans, and heavy trucks, GVWR over 26,000lbs for their ADAS evaluations. While it is sensible to use this style of vehicle because it is ubiquitous worldwide for a typical vehicle body style, these studies neglect full-size light-duty pickup trucks (FSLDPTs), GVWR 6,001 – 10,000lbs, which are abundant on the roads in the United States, 18% of the vehicle population. The differences in mass, center of gravity, and utilitarianism of these vehicles allows for unique conditions for studying the effects of ADAS. This work combines the evaluations the effectiveness of ADAS in FSLDPTs across seven vehicle models, representing 18% of registered vehicles in the US, for their reduction of injury severity for occupants during accidents involving fatalities and the economics of the cost benefits of ADAS at reducing the severity of injuries for occupants of FSLDPTs for multiple different brands. This work utilizes the findings for the best and worst location to be impacted on a full-size light-duty pickup truck based on an optimization of simulated accidents based on data from the seven main FSLDPTs in this class of vehicles. The objective is to use these results for the development of future designs of ADAS technologies and their placement on a FSLDPT. While these methods could be applied to any vehicle, the FSLDPT was investigated as they represent 18% of registered vehicles in the United States. This work will specifically discuss the sustainability in terms of financial, social (human health) and environmental impact of design and manufacturing ADAS for FSLDPTs to achieve an increase in safety over non-ADAS equivalent FSLDPTs.