Safe-D: Safety through Disruption

Standardized Performance Evaluation of Vehicles with Automated Capabilities


Abstract

Advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) are becoming more widely available in the new vehicle landscape, increasing safety of both vehicle occupants and other road users. In some vehicles, both longitudinal and lateral positioning under certain conditions can be maintained, designating them as having Level 2 (L2) automation capabilities. By developing a standardized set of tests to be applied to current L2 automated vehicles, while keeping the future advancement of automation in mind, the vehicles’ system performance, feature limitations, and performance consistency can be systematically evaluated.

The project goal is to create an initial set of standardized tests to explore whether they enable the ongoing evaluation of automated driving features as they evolve over time. These tests will focus on situations that are representative of several daily driving scenarios as encountered by lower-level automated features, often called Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), while looking forward to higher levels of automation as new systems are deployed.

Project Highlights

  • Initial frameworks of standardized tests were developed to evaluate automated vehicle capabilities in real-world scenarios
  • Tests were applied to create baseline results for a fleet of automated vehicles at VTTI
  • Academic journal article published in SAE International Journal of Connected and Automated Vehicles
  • Podium talk delivered at the 2019 FAST-zero Conference in Blacksburg, VA

Final Report

VTTI-00-020 Final Report

EWD & T2 Products

Student Impact Statement (pdf): Two students were funded under this project (Alexis Basantis, a graduate student at VT, and Craig Fedor, and undergraduate student at VT). This file contains a statement of the impact this project made on these students’ education and workforce development.

Presentations/Publications

Basantis, A., Doerzaph, Z., Harwood, L., Neurauter (2019). Developing a Standardized Performance Evaluation of Vehicles with Automated Driving Features. Presented at the FAST-Zero Conference, Blacksburg, Virginia. September 11, 2019.

Basantis, A., Doerzaph, Z., Harwood, L., & Neurauter, L. (2019). Developing a Standardized Performance Evaluation of Vehicles with Automated Driving Features. SAE International Journal of Connected and Automated Vehicles, 2(3), 1–16. doi: 10.4271/12-02-03-0011.

“Standardized Performance Evaluations of Automated Vehicles”. Basantis, A., Doerzaph, Z., Harwood, L., Neurauter, L. September 27, 2019. Submitted to: USDOT Safety Through Disruption National University Transportation Center.

Final Dataset

The final datasets for this project are located in the Safe-D Collection on the VTTI Dataverse; DOI: 10.15787/VTT1/D946JJ.

Research Investigators (PI*)

Leslie Harwood (VTTI)*
Zac Doerzaph (VTTI)
Luke Neurauter (VTTI/VT)
Alexis Basantis (VTTI/VT)
Craig Fedor (VTTI/VT)

Project Information

Start Date: 2018-01-22
End Date: 2019-06-30
Status: Active
Grant Number: 69A3551747115
Total Funding: $47,098
Source Organization: Safe-D National UTC
Project Number: VTTI-00-020

Safe-D Theme Areas

Automated Vehicles

Safe-D Application Areas

Vehicle Technology

More Information

RiP URL
UTC Project Information Form

Sponsor Organization

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology
University Transportation Centers Program
Department of Transportation
Washington, DC 20590 United States

Performing Organization

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Virginia Tech Transportation Institute
3500 Transportation Research Plaza
Blacksburg, Virginia 24061
USA