Title: Driver response to controllable failures of fixed and variable gain steering

Authors: A. Hamish Jamson, Philip G. Whiffin, Peter M. Burchill

Addresses: Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK. ' Jaguar Research, Whitley, Coventry, UK. ' Jaguar Research, Whitley, Coventry, UK

Abstract: Active Front Steer (AFS) is a variable gain steering system that can be a useful driver aid: less wheel input is required to steer at low speeds than a more traditional fixed-gain (FG) system. However, should an AFS system fail, the sudden change in steering gain is potentially hazardous. Using a fully-immersive simulator, forty drivers participated in this single-blind study which compared driver response to both operational and failed AFS compared to a FG system with both functional and failed power steering. At low speeds, whilst negotiating an intersection, drivers rated AFS higher than FG for ease of steering. There were also trends suggesting that AFS failure was easier for drivers to control than the loss of power-assist to the FG system. At high speeds, AFS also showed advantages: drivers rated AFS higher and demonstrated fewer steering micro-corrections, intimating that maintaining control of the vehicle was less demanding with AFS.

Keywords: active steering; active front steer; AFS; variable gain steering; power steering; power assist; steering failure; driving simulator; driver behaviour; human factors; vehicle design; fixed gain steering; simulation; vehicle control.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVD.2007.014910

International Journal of Vehicle Design, 2007 Vol.45 No.3, pp.361 - 378

Published online: 17 Aug 2007 *

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