Browsing by Author "Shankwitz, Craig"

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Advanced BRT Volume I: Innovative Technologies for Dedicated Roadways
(University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies, 2008-06) Alexander, Lee; Cheng, Pi-Ming; Gorjestani, Alec; Menon, Arvind; Newstrom, Bryan; Shankwitz, Craig
Presented herein is a novel approach to vehicle positioning using RFID technology (Vehicle Positioning System, or VPS). By installing in the road RFID tags encoded with road name or other designation, the specific lane, the direction of travel, and the longitudinal distance from a known reference, a vehicle outfitted with an RFID tag reader can determine its position each time it passes over and reads a tag, thus, providing precisely the information needed for many ITS applications - the longitudinal position of a vehicle in a particular lane on a particular road of the transportation network. Knowledge of lane of travel and distance from a known reference provided by VPS enables many transit applications, including headway control of bus platoons, merge/lane change assistance, rear-end collision avoidance, and bay mark-up applications. For lane assist systems, VPS and a lateral positioning system can augment DGSP in urban areas, providing seamless operation where DGPS accuracy is insufficient for lane keeping. This research focused on designing and building a prototype VPS using existing third party RFID hardware. The hardware was evaluated and characterized to determine if it could be used to create a viable, robust VPS. After the development and characterization of the positioning system, an implementation of a rear-end collision avoidance system was built to demonstrate the use of VPS. Finally, a more sophisticated rear-end collision avoidance system was designed and simulated, after which its implications to the accuracy specifications for VPS were analyzed.
Advanced BRT Volume II: Innovative Technologies for Dedicated Roadways
(University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies, 2008-06) Cheng, Pi-Ming; Donath, Max; Gorjestani, Alec; Menon, Arvind; Newstrom, Bryan; Shankwitz, Craig
Presented herein is a novel approach to vehicle positioning using RFID technology (Vehicle Positioning System, or VPS). By installing in the road RFID tags encoded with road name or other designation, the specific lane, the direction of travel, and the longitudinal distance from a known reference, a vehicle outfitted with an RFID tag reader can determine its position each time it passes over and reads a tag, thus, providing precisely the information needed for many ITS applications – the longitudinal position of a vehicle in a particular lane on a particular road of the transportation network. Knowledge of lane of travel and distance from a known reference provided by VPS enables many transit applications, including headway control of bus platoons, merge/lane change assistance, rear-end collision avoidance, and bay mark-up applications. For lane assist systems, VPS and a lateral positioning system can augment DGSP in urban areas, providing seamless operation where DGPS accuracy is insufficient for lane keeping. This research focused on designing and building a prototype VPS using existing third party RFID hardware. The hardware was evaluated and characterized to determine if it could be used to create a viable, robust VPS. After the development and characterization of the positioning system, an implementation of a rear-end collision avoidance system was built to demonstrate the use of VPS. Finally, a more sophisticated rear-end collision avoidance system was designed and simulated, after which its implications to the accuracy specifications for VPS were analyzed.
ALX : Autonomous Vehicle Guidance for Roadway Following and Obstacle Avoidance
(Minnesota Department of Transportation, 1996-10) Du, Yu-feng; Schiller, William; Krantz, Don; Shankwitz, Craig; Donath, Max
This report presents results of the research performed on the Autonomous Land Experimental Vehicle (ALX) at the University of Minnesota. ALX autonomously follows roadways through the use of visual perception, and executes obstacle detection and collision avoidance through the use of ultrasonic sonar range sensors. This report describes the ALX embedded real-time control system based on a multi-processor, multi-tasking architecture, and presents algorithms used for visual perception, path tracking, position estimation, obstacle detection, and collision avoidance. Computer simulation and experimental results also are presented.
Autonomous Vehicle Guidance Evaluation
(Minnesota Department of Transportation, 1995-03) Shankwitz, Craig; Donath, Max
This report provides an overview of autonomous vehicle technology, specifically focusing on sensing and control technologies. It resulted from safety issues at the Mn/ROAD high-load, low-volume pavement test facility. Appropriate technology helps ensure the safety of the truck driver that provides loads to the pavement and the safety of traffic on 1-94. Researchers currently are working to provide a semi tractor capable of driver-supervised autonomous operation at the Mn/ROAD facility. Such a driver-supervised system will allow the truck driver to monitor the operation of the automatic control system actively guiding the truck and will allow the driver to take control from the control computer when desired.
Benefit:Cost Analysis of In-Vehicle Technologies and Infrastructure Modifications as a Means to Prevent Crashes Along Curves and Shoulders
(Minnesota Department of Transportation, Research Services Section, 2009-12) Pitale, Jaswandi Tushar; Shankwitz, Craig; Preston, Howard; Barry, Michael
The State of Minnesota has under way its Toward Zero Deaths (TZD) initiative, the goal of which is to eliminate fatal traffic crashes. This is a daunting task, and with limited financial resources, optimal strategies that provide the greatest benefit for a given cost have to be utilized if the goal of TZD is to be met. This report reviews both infrastructure and emerging in-vehicle solutions as a means to determine the optimal deployment strategy of countermeasures designed to improve highway safety. Infrastructure-based solutions are examined on two levels: 1) an analysis of a cross-section of strategies implemented throughout Minnesota, which 2) produced a before:after analysis that quantified the effectiveness of a variety of strategies utilized in Minnesota. In addition to the standard civil engineering countermeasures studied under the before:after analysis, emerging infrastructure and in-vehicle technology-based solutions were modeled in terms of effectiveness and potential deployment schedules. These cost and effectiveness models facilitated a comparison to the results of the before:after analysis, and from the comparison, optimal strategies for improving safety with limited funds and the TZD goal are presented.
Bus Rapid Transit Technologies: Assisting Drivers Operating Buses on Road Shoulders: Volume 1
(2003-12) Alexander, Lee; Cheng, Pi-Ming; Donath, Max; Gorjestani, Alec; Newstrom, Bryan; Shankwitz, Craig; Trach, Walter
The FTA has identified the concept of Bus Rapid Transit as a means to increase the efficiency of transit operations while maintaining transit's proven safety record. According to the FTA website www.fta.dot.gov, "BRT combines the quality of rail transit and the flexibility of buses. It can operate on exclusive transitways, HOV lanes, expressways, or ordinary streets. A BRT system combines intelligent transportation systems technology, priority for transit, cleaner and quieter vehicles, rapid and convenient fare collection, and integration with land use policy." Because of the limited right-of-way available to build new (and possibly dedicated) lanes for BRT operations, the FTA has identified lane assist as an emerging technology, which will enable deployment of BRT systems. The premise behind lane assist technology is to increase the safety of BRT vehicles as they operate in the more unique environments, such as narrow lanes. Lane assist technology will allow BRT vehicles to operate at the desired higher operating speeds while maintaining the safety of the passengers, BRT vehicle and the motoring public.
Collision Avoidance: Smart Trucks on Rural Roads
(Minnesota Department of Transportation, 1995-03) Shankwitz, Craig; Donath, Max
With interest in collision avoidance technology for highway vehicles on the rise, this report presents an overview of current collision avoidance technology, the technical work required to bring these systems to a commercially viable product, and the societal issues that need addressing before wide-scale deployment can occur. Many questions remain about the benefits of deploying such systems, the costs, the effect of these systems on drivers, and the steps necessary to effectively regulate vehicles equipped with such systems. In addition to technical aspects, the report also discusses the issues that society will face during development and deployment of these systems, which may prove bigger impediments to deployment than technical issues. The report also recommends a research plan to perform fair, unbiased evaluations of emerging collision avoidance technology.
The Design of a Minimal Sensor Configuration for a Cooperative Intersection Collision Avoidance System - Stop Sign Assist: CICAS-SSA Report #2
(2010-08) Gorjestani, Alec; Menon, Arvind; Cheng, Pi-Ming; Shankwitz, Craig; Donath, Max
The deployment of a Cooperative Intersection Collision Avoidance System – Stop Sign Assist (CICAS-SSA) can save lives by addressing the causal factor of crashes at rural thru-Stop intersection: drivers who stop on the minor leg of the intersection, improperly assess the gaps in the traffic on the major leg, proceed, and are then hit. The prototype CICAS-SSA system consisted of a network of sensors covering both the minor and the major legs of the intersection. Sensors on the minor road monitored the approach of vehicles and classified them based on their length and height. Sensors along the major road were arrayed to track vehicles (and the gaps between them) approaching the crossroads from 2000 feet away as a means to ensure that the tracking algorithm had sufficient time to “lock on” and track all approaching vehicles. Because cost is a primary concern for any highway safety application, the development of a “minimal sensor set” which would provide adequate safety performance for minimum cost was paramount to the success of the CICAS-SSA program. This report documents the development of this minimal sensor configuration.
Determination of the Alert and Warning Timing for the Cooperative Intersection Collision Avoidance System-Stop Sign Assist Using Macroscopic and Microscopic Data: CICAS-SSA Report #1
(2010-08) Gorjestani, Alec; Menon, Arvind; Cheng, Pi-Ming; Shankwitz, Craig; Donath, Max
Crashes at rural thru-stop intersections arise primarily from a driver attempting to cross or enter the mainline traffic stream after failing to recognize an unsafe gap condition. Because the primary cause of these crashes is not failure to stop, but failure to recognize an unsafe condition, the US DOT FHWA, MnDOT, and the University of Minnesota ITS Institute undertook the Cooperative Intersection Collision Avoidance System – Stop Sign Assist (CICAS-SSA) program. CICAS-SSA uses roadside radar sensors, a computer processor and algorithms to determine unsafe conditions, and an active LED icon based sign to provide timely alerts and warnings which are designed to reduce the frequency of crashes at rural expressway intersections. The focus of this report is the alert and warning timing used to provide a driver with assistance in recognizing and taking appropriate action when presented a gap which could be considered unsafe. The work presented herein uses both macroscopic data collected by roadside sensors and data acquisition equipment in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and North Carolina, and microscopic data collected using an instrumented vehicle and test subjects at the Minnesota Research Intersection, located at the intersection of US Hwy 52 and Goodhue County Road 9. Three tenets that are particularly germane to the determination of alert and warning timing for the CICAS-SSA system are: (1) the system does not help a driver choose a safe gap; it is designed to assist a driver with unsafe gap rejection, (2) it indicates when it is unsafe to proceed, not when it is safe to proceed, and (3) it must complement good decision making, and address those instances where poor decision making could lead to a crash.
DGPS-Based Gang Plowing
(2005-04-01) Alexander, Lee; Gorjestani, Alec; Shankwitz, Craig
Gang plowing is one method used by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) to increase the productivity of snowplow operations. However, these gains in productivity often come at the expense of increased driver stress. These higher stress levels are the result of the low visibility caused by localized snow clouds created by the lead snowplow, and by anxious drivers trying to pass between the moving plows. To improve the gang plowing process, a DGPS-based gang plowing system has been developed. This system uses advanced technology to allow a trailing snowplow to automatically follow a lead snowplow at an operator-specified lateral and longitudinal offset. The system is designed to improve both safety and productivity. This report covers three areas. First, to improve driver visibility, an implementation of the virtual mirror to the left side of the trailing plow is described. Second, the lateral and longitudinal performance of a two-vehicle gang on Minnesota Trunk Highway 101 is described. Third, a system architecture for gangs of more than two vehicles is proposed, and its potential performance is documented through simulation. Finally, recommendations for further research and other potential applications are provided.
Driver Assistive Systems for Rural Applications: A Path to Deployment, Volume 1
(2005-08-01) Cheng, Pi-Ming; Gorjestani, Alec; Newstrom, Bryan; Shankwitz, Craig; Trach, Walter
Deployment of any system is driven by market demand and system cost. Initial deployment of the Intelligent Vehicle Lab Snowplow Driver Assistive System (DAS) was limited to a 45 mile section of Minnesota Trunk Highway 7 west of I-494 and east of Hutchinson MN. To better gage demand and functionality, St. Louis and Polk Counties in Minnesota operationally tested the system during the winter of 2003-2004; Polk County also tested during the winter of 2004-2005. Operational benefits were found to be drastically different in the two counties. Low visibility was not an issue with the St. Louis County snowplow routes, so the system offered few benefits. In contrast the topology of Polk county is flat, with almost no trees. High winds combined with few visual cues create significant low visibility conditions. Polk County was pleased with their original system, and obtained a second system and tested it operationally during the 2004-2005 winter. The experience of these two counties is documented in this volume, Volume One. A key component of the DAS is a high accuracy digital map. With the exception of the mapping process, the present cost of the DAS is well documented. Volume Two describes a system designed to collect and process geospatial data to be used by driver assitive system, and the costs and time associated with collecting map data, and creating a map from that data. With cost data complete, counties can determine whether to acquire these systems.
Driver Assistive Systems for Rural Applications: Digital Mapping of Roads for Lane Departure Warnings, Volume 2
(2005-08-01) Trach, Walter; Donath, Max; Shankwitz, Craig
Deployment of any system is driven by market demand and system cost. Initial deployment of the Intelligent Vehicle Lab Snowplow Driver Assistive System (DAS) was limited to a 45 mile section of Minnesota Trunk Highway 7 west of I-494 and east of Hutchinson MN. To better gage demand and functionality, St. Louis and Polk Counties in Minnesota operationally tested the system during the winter of 2003-2004; Polk County also tested during the winter of 2004-2005. Operational benefits were found to be drastically different in the two counties. Low visibility was not an issue with the St. Louis County snowplow routes, so the system offered few benefits. In contrast the topology of Polk County is flat, with almost no trees. High winds combined with few visual cues create significant low visibility conditions. Polk County was pleased with their original system, and obtained a second system and tested it operationally during the 2004-2005 Winter. The experience of these two counties is documented in Volume One. A key component of the DAS is a high accuracy digital map. With the exception of the mapping process, the present cost of the DAS is well documented. With cost data complete, counties can determine whether to acquire these systems.
Driver Assistive Systems for Snowplows
(2003-03-01) Gorjestani, Alec; Alexander, Lee; Newstrom, Bryan; Cheng, Pi-Ming; Sergi, Mike; Shankwitz, Craig; Donath, Max
A comprehensive driver assistive system which utilizes dual frequency, carrier phase real time kinematic (RTK) differential global positioning system (DGPS), high accuracy digital geospatial databases, advanced automotive radar, and a driver interface with visual, haptic, and audible components has been used to assist specialty vehicle operators perform their tasks under these low visibility conditions. The system is able to provide a driver with high fidelity representations of the local geospatial landscape through a custom designed Head Up Display (HUD). Lane boundaries, turn lanes, intersections, mailboxes, and other elements of the geospatial landscape, including those sensed by automotive radar, are projected onto the HUD in the proper perspective. This allows a driver to safely guide his or her vehicle in low to zero visibility conditions in a desired lane while avoiding collisions. Four areas of research, are described herein: driver assistive displays, the integration of a geospatial database for improved radar processing, snowplow dynamics for slippery conditions, and a virtual bumper based collision avoidance/gang plowing system. (Gang plowing is the flying in formation of snowplows as a means to rapidly clear multilane roads.) Results from this research have vastly improved the performance and reliability of the driver assistive system. Research on the use of a specialized driver assistance system to assist specialty vehicle operators in low visibility conditions, including the design of a custom Head Up Display (HUD) projecting elements of the landscape in proper perspective. Driver assistive displays, the integration of a geospatial database for improved radar processing, snowplow dynamics for slippery conditions, and a virtual bumper based on collision avoidance/gang plowing system are discussed.
Dual Frequency, Carrier Phase Differential GPS Augmentation
(Center for Transportation Studies, 2011-05) Arpin, Eddie; Newstrom, Bryan; Shankwitz, Craig
For many roadway applications, high-accuracy in-lane level vehicle position information is desired. Unfortunately, in many roadway environments GPS dead zones hinder sufficient GPS position accuracy. These roadway environments include underpasses, tree canopies, urban canyons, and any other locations where the view to the sky is limited. This report introduces a high-accuracy position estimator that augments GPS in areas where short-term (< 200 meter and < 15 second) GPS dead zones exist. The position estimator fuses differential GPS (DGPS) position measurements, yaw rate measurements, and two-dimensional velocity measurements to provide in-lane level accuracy position estimates. The estimator increases the availability of high-accuracy position estimates for applications that demand continuous high-accuracy in-lane level positioning, such as lane departure warning systems. The position estimator was evaluated and the position accuracy was quantified. Seven vehicles were outfitted with the position estimator system. Data was collected for 460 DGPS outages and the accuracy of the system was analyzed. From the analysis the position accuracy of the estimator could be approximated based on the distance and time since the DGPS outage began. This analysis provides a level of confidence in the position estimates as a function of distance and time elapsed from the start of a DGPS outage. This level of confidence measure allows applications to have a means to reject position estimates based on the outage time and distance if those estimates are projected to have lower accuracy than the application requires.
Effects of Alcohol on Motorcycle Riding Skills
(Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2007-12) Creaser, Janet; Ward, Nic; Rakauskas, Mick; Boer, E.; Shankwitz, Craig; Nardi, Flavia
Alcohol is known to disrupt the effect of neurotransmitters and impair various psychomotor skills. Indeed, alcohol intoxication is a significant risk factor for fatal traffic crashes, especially when riding a motorcycle. At present, there is sparse research on the impairing effects of alcohol on skills involved in motorcycle control. This study was designed to measure the effect of alcohol (up to a blood alcohol concentration of .08 grams per deciliter) on a broad set of basic riding skills. These riding skills were assessed on a test track with task scenarios based on the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s training program. This study used a balanced incomplete block design to remove confounding artifacts (learning effects) by randomizing four BACs across three test days. Performance was characterized in terms of riding strategy used to cope with the effects of alcohol as a neurological stressor and the amount of resulting impairment with reference to specified performance standards. The analysis controlled for rider gender and age, riding skill, and drinking history. The results showed there were observable changes in motorcycle control and rider behavior in response to alcohol that are indicative of impairment. In general, intoxicated riders demonstrated longer response times and adopted larger tolerances leading to more task performance errors. Riders appeared to protect bike stability at the expense of other task performance and riders tried harder -- where possible -- to fully or partially compensate for the negative effects of alcohol. Most of the alcohol effects were evident at the per se BAC .08 g/dL level, but some of the effects were observed at the lower BAC .05. Given that this study used experienced riders performing highly practiced tasks with low to moderate levels of alcohol, the effect of alcohol on motorcycle control and rider behavior were modest except when task demand was high (offset weave), time pressure was high (hazard avoidance for near obstacles), and tolerances were constrained (circuit track). The practical significance of the findings was discussed in terms of study constraints.
Evaluation Report Volume 1: System Performance and Human Factors
(2003-11-01) Harder, Kathleen A; Bloomfield, John; Chihak, Benjamin J; Shankwitz, Craig; Donath, Max
This report documents the evaluation efforts undertaken by the Minnesota Team to complement the work undertaken by the independent government evaluator, Battelle. The Minnesota evaluation team focused on two specific areas: human factors and benefit cost analyses. Human factors issues include driver acceptance, reduction in driver fatigue, the effectiveness of the driver interface, and the measurable changes in driver performance. The Driver Assistive System (DAS), which is under evaluation for the US DOT Specialty Vehicle Generation Zero Field Operational Test, is designed to provide drivers a means to maintain desired lane position and avoid collisions with obstacles during periods of very low visibility. Specialty vehicles often must operate under inclement weather conditions and associated low visibility situations. The DAS improves safety for the specialty vehicle operator by providing the necessary cues for lane keeping and collision avoidance normally unavailable during poor visibility conditions. The DAS may also improve safety conditions for the general public by facilitating all-weather emergency services, and in the case of snowplows, opening roads and keeping them passable in heavy weather for other emergency vehicles and the general motoring public.
A GPS Based Heads Up Display System for Driving Under Low Visibility Conditions
(2000-01-01) Donath, Max; Shankwitz, Craig; Lim, Heon-Min
This research describes the design, development, and evaluation of a Heads Up Display (HUD) system for drivers of ground-based vehicles. A Conceptually ideal driver assistance device for low visibility conditions, the HUD projects visual information into the drivers' forward-looking visual field. Most researchers concur that the dirvers' forward-looking visual field of view is the most essential input for carrying out the two primary driving tasks: lane keeping and obstacle avoidance. Researchers developed the conformal augmented HUD as an intuitive adjunct that provides a high fidelity reconstructed image of essential aspects of the visual field superimposed on the actual field of view. The HUD was programmed to draw appropriate perspective projections of the road boundaries as seen from the driver's viewpoint and as calculated from dynamic position measurements provided by Differential Global Positioning Systems (DGPS). The research measured and analyzed mismatch error between the projected and the real road boundaries, and performed experiments using five Hz DGPS. Results showed that the current system can draw the superimposed images with errors less than 0.5 degrees of visual sight angle while the vehicle moves at various speeds along the test track. Keywords-heads up display, GPS, field of view, visibility
A High Accuracy Vehicle Positioning System Implemented in a Lane Assistance System when GPS Is Unavailable
(Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute Center for Transportation Studies University of Minnesota, 2011-07) Arpin, Eddie; Shankwitz, Craig; Donath, Max
The use of lane assistance systems can reduce the stress levels experienced by drivers and allow for better lane keeping in narrow, bus-dedicated lanes. In 2008, the Intelligent Vehicles (IV) Lab at the University of Minnesota has developed such a system for this purpose. The IV Lab lane-assist system uses dual frequency differential GPS (DGPS) for high accuracy position information. This position information is used in conjunction with a geospatial database containing the road geometry and lane boundary positions required for a lane-assistance system. In urban environments, where tall buildings, overpasses, and other obstructions to the sky are present, DGPS suffers from inaccuracies and outages. This report proposes a method for replacing DGPS sensing with a high accuracy vehicle positioning system which fuses data from RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) curb detection. A Vehicle Positioning System (VPS) was originally developed by the IV Lab to provide the lane level ("which lane on the road") position of a vehicle with respect to a known reference (i.e., a mile marker or start of roadway) by the use of encoded position information in RFID tags on the roadway, read by the vehicle. The lateral position resolution of VPS is constrained to one lane width, which is insufficient for lane-assistant systems. Thus, in-lane level ("where in the lane") lateral position estimation was supplemented by a LiDAR unit that generates an accurate position of the vehicle with respect to the curb, which is cross referenced with a map database that provides the distance from the lane center to the curb, thus providing the vehicle's lateral offset from the lane center. On-board odometry is used to maintain accurate longitudinal position in between tag reads. By fusing the information from the VPS, LiDAR, and on-board odometry, high accuracy, "where in lane" level vehicle positioning can be maintained from this enhanced VPS during DGPS outages.
Inexpensive 2D Optical Sensor for GPS Augmentation
(Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute, Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2012-12) Cheng, Pi-Ming; Shankwitz, Craig; Arpin, Eddie
Differential Global Positioning Systems (DGPS) are susceptible to outages due to blocked or missing satellite signals and/or blocked or missing DGPS correction messages. Outages arise primarily due to environmental reasons: passing under bridges, passing under overhead highway signs, adjacent foliage, etc. Generally, these outages are spatially deterministic, and can be accurately predicted. These outages distract drivers using DGPS-based driver assistive systems, and limit the system robustness. Inertial measurements have been proposed as an augmentation for DGPS. Tests have shown that error rates for even emerging technologies are still too high; a vehicle can maintain lane position for less than three to four seconds. Ring laser gyros can do the job, but $100K per axis is still too expensive for road-going vehicles. To provide robust vehicle positioning in the face of DGPS outages, the IV Lab has developed a technique by which a non-contact, 2D true ground velocity sensor is used to guide the vehicle. Although far from fully developed, the system can maintain vehicle position within a lane for GPS outages of up to 20 seconds. New dual frequency, carrier phase DGPS systems generally require less than 20 seconds to acquire a "fix" solution after a GPS outage, so the performance of this system should be adequate for augmentation. Proposed herein is basic research which may lead to the development of an inexpensive, 2D, non-contact velocity sensor optimized for vehicle guidance during periods of DGPS outages.
Integration of Infrared Imaging for a Head Up Display Lane Keeping and Collision Avoidance System
(University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies, 2008-06) Cheng, Pi-Ming; Shankwitz, Craig
A driver assistive system, which uses high accuracy, differentially corrected GPS (DGPS), high-accuracy geospatial databases, radar, computers, and driver interfaces (both a Head Up Display (HUD) and a tactile seat), has been developed to help a driver maintain lane position and avoid collisions during periods of low visibility. These systems have been tested and deployed both in Minnesota and in Alaska. Collision avoidance information is provided to a driver through the HUD. Objects located within the HUD field of view determined to be a threat to a driver are indicated as square boxes. White boxes represent an advisory, and if the detected object is fewer than fifty feet or three seconds from a collision, the box turns to red (a warning). Drivers who have used the system have speculated that a more accurate representation of the object projected on the HUD would make the driving task easier. Emerging Super and High Dynamic Range Cameras (SDRC and HDRC, respectively) appeared to be a feasible, inexpensive means with which to address drivers’ concerns. This report documents the research program. SDRC and HRDC technology failed to meet expectations, but infrared imagery was successfully integrated with the standard HUD.

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