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Title:

GAP-Acceptance Behavior at Roundabouts: A Validation Procedure for Driving Simulator Environment

Accession Number:

01658991

Record Type:

Component

Abstract:

This paper presents a general procedure for the validation of a driving simulation environment for the analysis of gap-acceptance behavior. The final aim of the procedure is to test whether a synthetic indicator of gap-acceptance behavior (the mean critical gap) shows significant differences when computed on the basis of field observations versus observations collected in the DS environment. The absence of such differences is considered as sufficient evidence that driver behavior is similar in the two contexts, and therefore provides adequate support in favor of DS validation. In order to demonstrate its effectiveness, the proposed procedure is applied to the case of a three-leg roundabout located in the Veneto region (Italy). The results of this application show that the mean critical gap estimated in the field and the mean critical gap estimated in the virtual environment are not significantly different only when the sample used for the estimation of the latter is restricted to the last part (approximately one third in this case) of the DS trials. This suggests the existence of a "familiarity effect", meaning that test drivers' behavior is initially more cautious and becomes similar to that observed in the field only when subjects have gained sufficient experience with the simulated environment. The proposed procedure can be applied in various contexts in which gap-acceptance behavior is a central element in terms of safety and operational performance of the traffic system under analysis.

Supplemental Notes:

This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AND30 Standing Committee on Simulation and Measurement of Vehicle and Operator Performance.

Report/Paper Numbers:

18-02927

Language:

English

Authors:

Rossi, Riccardo
Gastaldi, Massimiliano
Meneguzzer, Claudio

Pagination:

16p

Publication Date:

2018

Conference:

Transportation Research Board 97th Annual Meeting

Location: Washington DC, United States
Date: 2018-1-7 to 2018-1-11
Sponsors: Transportation Research Board

Media Type:

Digital/other

Features:

Figures; Photos; References (34) ; Tables

Geographic Terms:

Veneto (Italy)

Subject Areas:

Highways; Safety and Human Factors

Source Data:

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2018 Paper #18-02927

Files:

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Created Date:

Jan 8 2018 10:42AM