Francisco Aparicio

Discussion of a new adaptive speed control system incorporating the geometric characteristics of the roadway

In this paper, different control systems are reviewed, classified and analysed as well as intelligent speed adaptation systems (ACCs, ISA), their objectives and prototypes implemented in different countries. After this discussion, an adaptive speed control system, based on the geometric characteristics of the road, is presented. The SAGE system, developed in the INSIA (University Institute for Automobile Research), consists of a real time electronic device for the driver information about the optimum driving velocity, taking into account driving safety criteria. These criteria have been defined considering the geometric characteristics of the road and the dynamic behaviour of the vehicle. The prototype developed is presented, and also its strategy and functions.

Environment perception based on lidar sensors for real road applications

The recent developments in applications that have been designed to increase road safety require reliable and trustworthy sensors. Keeping this in mind, the most up-to-date research in the field of automotive technologies has shown that LIDARs are a very reliable sensor family. In this paper, a new approach to road obstacle classification is proposed and tested. Two different LIDAR sensors are compared by focusing on their main characteristics with respect to road applications. The viability of these sensors in real applications has been tested, where the results of this analysis are presented.

GPS and Inertial Systems for High Precision Positioning on Motorways

The accurate location of a vehicle in the road is one of the most important challenges in the automotive field. The need for accurate positioning affects several in-vehicle systems like navigators, lane departure warning systems, collision warning and other related sectors such as digital cartography suppliers. The aim of this paper is to evaluate high precision positioning systems that are able to supply an on-the-centimetre accuracy source to develop on-the-lane positioning systems and to be used in future applications as an information source for autonomous vehicles that circulate at high speeds on public roads. In this paper we have performed some on-road experiments, testing several GPS-based systems: Autonomous GPS; RTK Differential GPS with a proprietary GPS base station; RTK Differential GPS connected to the public GPS base station network of the National Geographic Institute of Spain via vehicle-to-infrastructure GPRS communications; and GPS combination with inertial measurement systems (INS) for position accuracy maintenance in degraded satellite signal reception areas. In these tests we show the validity and the comparison of these positioning systems, allowing us to navigate, in some cases, on public roads at speeds near 120 km/h and up to 100 km from the start position without any significant accuracy reduction.

Adapting ISA system warnings to enhance user acceptance

Inappropriate speed is a major cause of traffic accidents. Different measures have been considered to control traffic speed, and intelligent speed adaptation (ISA) systems are one of the alternatives. These systems know the speed limits and try to improve compliance with them. This paper deals with an informative ISA system that provides the driver with an advance warning before reaching a road section with singular characteristics that require a lower safe speed than the current speed. In spite of the extensive tests performed using ISA systems, few works show how warnings can be adapted to the driver. This paper describes a method to adapt warning parameters (safe speed on curves, zone of influence of a singular stretch, deceleration process and reaction time) to normal driving behavior. The method is based on a set of tests with and without the ISA system. This adjustment, as well as the analysis of driver acceptance before and after the adaptation and changes in driver behavior (changes in speed and path) resulting from the tested ISA regarding a drivers normal driving style, is shown in this paper. The main conclusion is that acceptance by drivers increased significantly after redefining the warning parameters, but the effect of speed homogenization was not reduced.

Development and use of vehicle dynamics simulation software as support for road vehicles theory teaching

This article describes the use of a custom‐made vehicle dynamics simulation program throughout 5 years as a support for teaching the subject of “Road Vehicles Theory.” A complete three‐dimensional model was developed. A deeper understanding of vehicle dynamics concepts has been achieved and valuable help has been provided to solve complex problems.

The developing of personal and professional skills in automotive engineers through university competitions

Promoting personal and professional skills is becoming an issue of interest and major concern in university environments and this, in turn, is being driven by the demands of business. In this paper the authors, teachers from UPM and ISAT, present the basic features of the Formula SAE project and some other international competition such as Eco-Shell Marathon, Formula Baja or Formula Low-Cost, and analyze the way these competitions helps to promote 24 basic skills in the students, compared to other activities carried out during their engineering degree courses.

Laser Scanner Como Sistema de Detección de Entornos Viales

Road security applications are getting more complex thanks to the latest advances. These applications require sensors able to provide information to perform complex and demanding tasks. Laser Scanners sensors have proved to be a trustable sensor family. This reliability has lead to increase the research activities related to laser scanners usability in road applications. Every day is more frequent to find Advance Driver Assistant Systems (ADAS) that takes advantage of the characteristics of these devices. These systems performs different task, some of them related to detection and prediction of movements of obstacles in the surroundings of a vehicle. Present work studies the possibility of using two different sensors in road applications. The second part of the work focuses on the presentation of a new algorithm able to detect moving obstacles in the surrounding of a vehicle using scanner laser.

Emissions Pollutant from Diesel, Biodiesel and Natural Gas Refuse Collection Vehicles in Urban Areas

Urban pollution is of increasing concern due to human health implications. Therefore, emissions pollutant from commercial vehicles which move daily at fixed itineraries, such as buses and refuse collection vehicles must be monitored. In this study we have aimed to show the results of the test made on refuse collection vehicles, in real conditions, with regard to their energy consumption and emissions pollutant. A comparative study is carried out with regard to CO, HC, NOx, PM and greenhouse gas emissions, with two types of engines and with three different fuels. The fuels analyzed are diesel, biodiesel (B50 and B100) and compressed natural gas (CNG).

An integrated methodology for the scientific research of road accidents. General overview

Entre los anos 2004 y 2007, los accidentes de trafico y victimas producidos en las carreteras espanolas experimentaron una importante reduccion, como consecuencia de la adopcion de un conjunto de medidas legislativas y de control. Durante el mismo periodo, los accidentes con victimas e implicacion de furgonetas se incrementaron, separandose de la tendencia general. La investigacion de los factores de influencia alrededor del comportamiento de estos vehiculos, se llevo a cabo en el marco de un proyecto financiado por el Plan Nacional de Investigacion, liderado por el INSIA y con la participacion de equipos de investigacion del TRANSYT (Centro de investigacion del Transporte de la UPM), del ISVA (Instituto de Seguridad de Vehiculos Automoviles) de la Universidad Carlos III y del IEA (Instituto de Estudios de Automocion) de la Asociacion Espanola de Fabricantes de Automoviles y Camiones (ANFAC). Las principales actividades de investigacion y metodologias aplicadas, han sido: definicion y caracterizacion de los vehiculos del parque espanol de furgonetas y su clasificacion en cuatro tipos conceptualmente diferentes tanto en su construccion como en su utilizacion; analisis de datos de una muestra de accidentes investigados en profundidad; ensayos en pista de vehiculos representativos de algunos de los tipos identificados y su comparacion con los turismos; encuesta de ambito nacional a mas de 3600 conductores; estudio de movilidad urbana con vehiculos instrumentados; Inspecciones en carretera a una muestra de vehiculos; estudio de resultados de inspecciones tecnicas de vehiculos a una amplia muestra; estudio de la movilidad interurbana de las furgonetas; aplicacion de diversos metodos estadisticos: mineria de datos, modelos DRAG y UCM para series temporales aplicados a los accidentes y sus consecuencias. Las actividades desarrolladas componen la “Metodologia Integrada de Investigacion de Accidentes (MIICA)” aportacion del Instituto de Investigacion del Automovil (INSIA) que integra metodos y herramientas de analisis estadistico, ensayo y experimentacion, simulacion y calculo. MIICA se articula a traves de un conjunto de hipotesis, cuya formulacion se basa en la experiencia de los equipos de investigacion implicados y en los resultados publicados de otros estudios referidos al comportamiento en accidentes y condiciones de seguridad de este tipo de vehiculos. Las 15 hipotesis formuladas se refirieron a los vehiculos (5); condiciones de explotacion y movilidad (6) y conductores (4). MIICA es un modelo de capas en las que se analizan diferentes factores de influencia potencial en el comportamiento accidentologico de colectivos de usuarios o vehiculos y se identifican los niveles de influencia de los mismos y las posibles relaciones entre ellos. La aplicacion realizada al colectivo de furgonetas permitio extraer resultados sobre el uso y explotacion, caracteristicas del parque, conductores y empresas, que se han difundido en forma de recomendaciones a la administracion espanola con poder de policia para la regulacion y control de la seguridad de la actividad de estos vehiculos. Dada la extension de los trabajos desarrollados, en este articulo se presenta una breve descripcion del planteamiento general de MIICA y los resultados mas relevantes.

Una metodología integrada de investigación científica de accidentes de tráfico. Planteamiento general

Entre los anos 2004 y 2007, los accidentes de trafico y victimas producidos en las carreteras espanolas experimentaron una importante reduccion, como consecuencia de la adopcion de un conjunto de medidas legislativas y de control. Durante el mismo periodo, los accidentes con victimas e implicacion de furgonetas se incrementaron, separandose de la tendencia general. La investigacion de los factores de influencia alrededor del comportamiento de estos vehiculos, se llevo a cabo en el marco de un proyecto financiado por el Plan Nacional de Investigacion, liderado por el INSIA y con la participacion de equipos de investigacion del TRANSYT (Centro de investigacion del Transporte de la UPM), del ISVA (Instituto de Seguridad de Vehiculos Automoviles) de la Universidad Carlos III y del IEA (Instituto de Estudios de Automocion) de la Asociacion Espanola de Fabricantes de Automoviles y Camiones (ANFAC). Las principales actividades de investigacion y metodologias aplicadas, han sido: definicion y caracterizacion de los vehiculos del parque espanol de furgonetas y su clasificacion en cuatro tipos conceptualmente diferentes tanto en su construccion como en su utilizacion; analisis de datos de una muestra de accidentes investigados en profundidad; ensayos en pista de vehiculos representativos de algunos de los tipos identificados y su comparacion con los turismos; encuesta de ambito nacional a mas de 3600 conductores; estudio de movilidad urbana con vehiculos instrumentados; Inspecciones en carretera a una muestra de vehiculos; estudio de resultados de inspecciones tecnicas de vehiculos a una amplia muestra; estudio de la movilidad interurbana de las furgonetas; aplicacion de diversos metodos estadisticos: mineria de datos, modelos DRAG y UCM para series temporales aplicados a los accidentes y sus consecuencias. Las actividades desarrolladas componen la “Metodologia Integrada de Investigacion de Accidentes (MIICA)” aportacion del Instituto de Investigacion del Automovil (INSIA) que integra metodos y herramientas de analisis estadistico, ensayo y experimentacion, simulacion y calculo. MIICA se articula a traves de un conjunto de hipotesis, cuya formulacion se basa en la experiencia de los equipos de investigacion implicados y en los resultados publicados de otros estudios referidos al comportamiento en accidentes y condiciones de seguridad de este tipo de vehiculos. Las 15 hipotesis formuladas se refirieron a los vehiculos (5); condiciones de explotacion y movilidad (6) y conductores (4). MIICA es un modelo de capas en las que se analizan diferentes factores de influencia potencial en el comportamiento accidentologico de colectivos de usuarios o vehiculos y se identifican los niveles de influencia de los mismos y las posibles relaciones entre ellos. La aplicacion realizada al colectivo de furgonetas permitio extraer resultados sobre el uso y explotacion, caracteristicas del parque, conductores y empresas, que se han difundido en forma de recomendaciones a la administracion espanola con poder de policia para la regulacion y control de la seguridad de la actividad de estos vehiculos. Dada la extension de los trabajos desarrollados, en este articulo se presenta una breve descripcion del planteamiento general de MIICA y los resultados mas relevantes.