Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
5.3.2.
Lateral control and securing a trajectory
The questions of human-machine cooperation have been the subject of a
particularly in-depth investigation, via a series of experiments dealing with securing
the trajectory in its lateral dimension (ARCOS and PARTAGE
8
projects run by
ANR-PREDIT). Depending on the year, country and consequences, the accidents
involving involuntary lane exits represent 40 to 70% of cases.
Four principal cooperation modes were examined, on a simulator and test track:
a
perceptive
mode, a
mutual control
mode, a
function delegation
mode and, more
recently, a
continuous shared control
mode. The central idea, in certain of these
experiments, was to start from devices that would be able to take automatic control
of the vehicle, but restricting their use, to take partial control of the vehicle. It was a
matter of applying the philosophy of the projects mentioned that considered the
driver to be the main entity in charge of driving.
The
perceptive mode
uses the perceptive abilities of one of the agents to enrich
the perception of the other. From the machine to the driver, it is something that we
can envisage with “head-up display” visualization devices (i.e. information
presented on the windshield), even though they still pose a few problems. In any
case, it is possible to identify where the gaze must be drawn in a turn in order to
improve the trajectory and show the positive effect of such visual assistance
([MAR 08], see Figure 5.3). This experiment explored the relative efficiency of
highlighting different points situated on the road, including the tangent point
(circled in Figure 5.3). Similarly, after having shown that the signposts indicating
dangerous turns have no effect on underestimating the bend on the tightest turns, it
is advisable to turn towards the production of visual information that enters more
directly into the sensorimotor loops [MIL 07]. Driving assistance has too often been
limited to the production of symbolic information, requiring specific processing of
the meaning, rather than research of the most efficient perceptive (sub-symbolic)
information. Though these two types of information are complementary, the
processing of perceptive information is quicker. Being a matter of obtaining better
adaptation of the driver to the bend in a turn, a (symbolic) warning sign can enable
us to better regulate the approach speed. However, for the steering wheel angle to be
relevant, it is preferable to base research on the perceptive characteristics of the turn
(markings, for example).
8 PARTAGE: Safe trajectory shared control between driver and car-driving assistance
(http://www.projet-partage.fr/)
