Andreas Pütz

euroFOT: Field Operational Test and Impact Assessment of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems: Final Results

Within the first European large scale field operational test euroFOT the effects of eight different Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) were investigated. About 1,000 vehicles equipped with different ADAS were used. The Institute of Automotive Engineering (ika) of the RWTH Aachen University analysed the effects of ACC usage in combination with FCW under normal driving conditions of 100 passenger cars. The results of the data analysis show positive effects on traffic safety and fuel consumption. In addition, the complete process chain from the data collection to the analysis was defined and conducted at the ika.

Effects of ACC and FCW on Speed, Fuel Consumption, and Driving Safety

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) are widely expected to deliver a major contribution to the improvement of driving comfort as well as road safety. An insight into the benefits of ITS is an important ingredient in the deployment of ITS. Assessing these benefits is one of the research goals within the 7th Framework Program of the European Commission. Field Operational Tests (FOT) have emerged as an important research methodology for assessing the impact of ITS on driver behavior and performance, traffic safety, traffic efficiency as well as the environment. Within the euroFOT project, a large scale field test that involves approximately 1000 instrumented vehicles on the road all over Europe the impact of eight selected ITS function is tested. Most of these vehicles have one or more ITS applications on board, including continuously operating ones like Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Forward Collision Warning (FCW). This paper describes the method applied for the FOT to assess the impact of the ACC and FCW. The euroFOT approach has some similarities to existing FOTs but includes novel aspects to handle specific limitations and conditions of the FOT and the available data. The paper further describes the final results of the data analysis based on the predefined hypotheses to answer the research questions of the project.

Minimal SPI1-T3SS effector requirement for Salmonella enterocyte invasion and intracellular proliferation in vivo

Effector molecules translocated by the Salmonella pathogenicity island (SPI)1-encoded type 3 secretion system (T3SS) critically contribute to the pathogenesis of human Salmonella infection. They facilitate internalization by non-phagocytic enterocytes rendering the intestinal epithelium an entry site for infection. Their function in vivo has remained ill-defined due to the lack of a suitable animal model that allows visualization of intraepithelial Salmonella. Here, we took advantage of our novel neonatal mouse model and analyzed various bacterial mutants and reporter strains as well as gene deficient mice. Our results demonstrate the critical but redundant role of SopE2 and SipA for enterocyte invasion, prerequisite for transcriptional stimulation and mucosal translocation in vivo. In contrast, the generation of a replicative intraepithelial endosomal compartment required the cooperative action of SipA and SopE2 or SipA and SopB but was independent of SopA or host MyD88 signaling. Intraepithelial growth had no critical influence on systemic spread. Our results define the role of SPI1-T3SS effector molecules during enterocyte invasion and intraepithelial proliferation in vivo providing novel insight in the early course of Salmonella infection.

Consideration of the Available Evading Space for the Evaluation of the Driver Reaction to Emergency Steering Interventions

One of the goals of the subproject KON was the investigation of the applicability of existing controllability evaluation methods of assistance systems operating in urban areas. Due to the use of these systems in urban traffic conditions different boundary conditions have to be considered with regard to the space available for specific driving manoeuvres by the driver. A real-vehicle study was conducted which addressed the influence of the available evading space on the driver reaction to steering interventions for evading assistance. The study investigated the reaction to system-initiated interventions for varying available evading space during normal system use as well as false activations. The data analysis showed that drivers adapt their reaction: They allowed a higher lateral deviation if evading space is available and suppressed the system intervention if the available evading space is limited. This should be considered for possible enhancements of the evaluation methodology of steering interventions. While existing controllability criteria which are based on the exceedance of the own driving lane seem therefore not to be applicable for the investigated system interventions, the driver adapt their reaction to the available evading space.

Methodology and Results for the Investigation of Interactions Between Pedestrians and Vehicles in Real and Controlled Traffic Conditions

As one part of the subproject SIM pedestrian-vehicle interactions were investigated based on three different methodical approaches. The conducted studies focused on the pedestrian crossing intention in case of an approaching vehicle. The three approaches for data collection were chosen with the goal of modelling the pedestrian crossing probability depending on situation-specific parameters. In the first approach, subjects drove an equipped vehicle under real traffic conditions on a route which is highly frequented by pedestrians without knowing the actual objective of the study. The behaviour of the interacting pedestrian as well as the driver behaviour was investigated based on the objective data from the environment sensors and the driver input. Based on these results the second approach was set up as a study in a controlled environment in which the behaviour of the drivers (confidantes) was systematically varied. In addition, different vehicle types (passenger car, truck) were considered. Both approaches were supplemented by static traffic observations (third approach). The results show a situational influence through e.g. crossing aids and type of interacting partner (passenger car, truck) within the previously described pedestrian crossing events. The modelled crossing probabilities are in line with the results of the linked vehicle-pedestrian simulations of the subproject SIM and serve as a valuable input for the interaction detection and the behaviour modelling by helping to understand the natural interaction behaviour of pedestrians during crossing scenarios.

Wirkungsanalyse von Abstandsregelung und Abstandswarnung

Im Rahmen des ersten europaischen Feldversuchs euroFOT wurde die Wirkung von acht verschiedenen Fahrerassistenzsystemen im offentlichen Strasenverkehr untersucht. Neben der Umsetzung der kompletten Prozesskette zur Datenerhebung und -verarbeitung wurde am Institut fur Kraftfahrzeuge der RWTH Aachen University eine Wirkungsanalyse fur die Abstandsregelung (Adaptive Cruise Control, ACC) und die Abstandswarnung (Forward Collision Warning, FCW) an 100 Pkw durchgefuhrt. Die Ergebnisse der Wirkungsanalyse zeigen positive Effekte auf die Verkehrssicherheit und den Kraftstoffverbrauch.