The Effects of Collision Avoidance Warning Systems on Driver’s Visual Behaviors

Abstract

This study aimed to test collision avoidance systems in on-road environments and analyze drivers’ visual behaviors caused by the warnings from such systems through an on-road field operational test. Most previous driving studies related to collision warnings were done in driving simulators or closed-course test tracks. Recently, the need to study drivers’ responses in on-road environments is growing in order to improve the effectiveness of the collision warnings from advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). In this study, drivers drove a car along an open road. Their perceptual attention and driving behaviors were analyzed by using video data and an eye-tracking device. The results from the eye movement data showed that the existence of the visual warning and the location of ADAS monitor significantly influence drivers’ warning perception. The findings of this study showed that understanding how the warnings from ADAS devices influence drivers’ visual behavior and driving safety in a driving environment is important to improve the benefits of using collision avoidance systems.