Title: Investigation of a driver-oriented adaptive cruise control system

Authors: Liang-kuang Chen; Chih-chi Dai; Min-fang Luo

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology 10672, Taiwan ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology 10672, Taiwan ' Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology 32544, Taiwan

Abstract: The driver-oriented adaptive cruise control (DOACC) is developed using the driver drowsy index assessed by an online driver monitoring system. The longitudinal control of the adaptive cruise control (ACC) functions is designed using the sliding-mode control technique to address the unknown disturbance force in the vehicle longitudinal dynamics. The ACC system parameters are modified according to the instant driver drowsy index to allow safer vehicle range keeping for a more fatigued driver, and a less conservative control for a less fatigued driver. The developed control strategies are evaluated using computer simulations and driving simulator experiments. The results indicate that the designed control strategy modifications provide the expected functions both in simulations and in experiments, and the sliding-mode controller successfully regulates the inter-vehicle range under unknown disturbances. Experiments with the driving simulator also show that alert drivers accept the design modifications with fewer instants of gas pedal intervention and do not interfere with the brake control during stopping.

Keywords: DOACC; driver-oriented ACC; adaptive cruise control; driving simulator; vehicle longitudinal control; vehicle control; vehicle design; driver drowsy index; online driver monitoring; online monitoring; sliding mode control; SMC; vehicle dynamics; driver fatigue; vehicle safety; simulation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVD.2014.064371

International Journal of Vehicle Design, 2014 Vol.66 No.1, pp.20 - 42

Accepted: 15 Feb 2013
Published online: 30 Oct 2014 *

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