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The purpose of the MINDER program is to create the common simulation resource for human factors and safety researchers in respect to Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) programs. To accomplish this, we have created a simulation capability to re-create part of the I-35W Metropolitan area corridor from the Cross-town commons to just south of downtown Minneapolis. Our purpose in creating this was to allow researchers on different programs to use a common simulation environment. This was the first element of MINDER which was proposed as a larger program to include other segments of the freeway systems of the Twin City Metropolitan region. This corridor is extensively instrumented for traffic flow simulation and control. Successful development and validation of such a simulation environment has allowed a number of particular advantages. It represents, to our knowledge, the first interactively simulated portion of specific urban freeway on any high fidelity simulator. It allows parallel testing of simulation versus actual driving conditions. It is capable of integration with a number of ongoing Mn/DOT, university, and commercial research projects. It provides a human factors testing facility that exceeds most capabilities that currently exist world-wide.

This work reports results of an experimental program on human factors issues in traffic signing. The first task examines the problems associated with the programming of signs for evaluation of driver response in simulation. It is concluded that growing technical tools permit traffic engineers to test proposed signage, and avenues of implementation are given. The second task examines driver response in simulation to multiple real-world signs. It is concluded that while much effort is given to distinguishing the utility of individual signs, multiple signs in combination produce more complex decrements. Recommendations are made as to maximum sign density. The final task provides an assessment of signage in future IVHS driving environments. It points to the role of signage as one component of communication. A list of issues for future signage implementation is given for consideration as the Department moves to provide safe and efficient transport for the people of Minnesota into the 21st century.

A traffic data management system is an integral part of an IVHS (Intelligent Vehicle Highway System), which obtains information from road sensors, city maps and event schedules, and generates information to drivers, traffic controllers and researchers. We extend the relational database with abstract data types and triggers to model traffic information in a relational database. Abstract data types are needed to efficiently model spatial and temporal information, since they may create inefficiencies in traditional databases. We use monotonic continuous functions to map the object to disk addresses to save disk space and computation time. A model of spatial data is created to efficiently process moving objects. For IVHS databases, we provide schema that have the relevant abstract data types. We also have a large sample of the relations needed to model IVHS data. Several interesting queries are presented to show the power of the model. Triggers are defined, using rule-definition mechanisms to represent incident detection and warning systems. An efficient physical model with the MoBiLe access method is provided.

The research in traffic flow and safety has proceeded on two different tracks. The traffic flow research has focused on macroscopic aspects and aggregate behavior, while safety research has focused on the traveller's microscopic view of the transportation system. This dichotomy of research methodology has made it difficult to study many issues in intelligent vehicle highway systems in an integrated manner. In this project, we explore ways of facilitating research on problems which require integration of the two views of the transportation systems. In particular, we explore headup displays for conveying aggregate traffic information and exceptions to the drivers. We evaluate text based and graphic map based displays with fixed orientation as well as egocentric orientation. Our studies indicate that graphic displays are more effective than text based displays for the assimilation of information by drivers. Furthermore, our studies suggest that an egocentric map display allows drivers to assimilate and process information faster than a fixed orientation display.

This report summarizes human factors research for IVHS/ITS projects and focuses on the following five tasks: The comparative evaluation of ITS in-vehicle information prototypes. This experiment compares drivers' reaction to the use of three forms of in-vehicle information systems in driving simulation: the Delco prototype, the Volvo Dynaguide prototype, and a procedure that presented a voice generation information system. It includes recommendations for in-vehicle device designs. The evaluation of driver response to an in-vehicle ITS technology. This experiment evaluated drivers' responses to information presented on an in-vehicle ITS. Geographic databases for IVHS management. This work extends the concept of relational databases to model traffic information in an approach that uses abstract data types and triggers. The improvement of simulation facilities. This task describes the acquisition and installation of equipment and software to improve simulation capabilities at the Human Factors Research Laboratory and its impact on research efforts. In-vehicle collision avoidance warning systems for IVHS. This experiment examined the effects of presenting warnings of vehicle proximity on turn decisions.