A method of driver-roadside communication was tested on the Atlanta Freeway System during daytime and nighttime driving activities in 1964 and 1965. The two related studies attempted to evaluate the effectiveness of roadside radio communication on behavior of the driver as related to his execution of a diverging maneuver from a freeway traffic system. The radio system used in the study, called Hy-Com, provides radio communications from the roadside to the driver and consists of a car mounted receiver and a roadside transmitter. Volunteer participants were randomly assigned to any one of various test conditions employed in the experiments. Each test condition provided guidance information of varying degrees of advance and exit information by using highway signing, radio communication or a combination of both of these modes of communication. While information was being given to participants in each test condition, data on traffic characteristics of the driver were collected at various positions along the freeway and the deceleration lane prior to an exit ramp selected for the study. Time-lapse motion photography, the Bureau of Public Roads Traffic Analyzer, and manual recording were used in the collection of the data. Analysis of variance and multiple range test techniques were used to determine differences between driver performances under different levels of information provided during the running of each test condition. The results of data analysis indicated that audio messages were as effective as visual messages. (Author)
A Study of the Feasibility of Using Roadside Radio Communications for Traffic Control and Driver Information
1967
151 pages
Report
No indication
English