Development of Speed Adjustment Delineator to Assist Smooth Ｍerging on the Expressway

Abstract

This study proposed speed adjustment delineators embedded in the center of the travel lane as a preliminary speed adjustment device for drivers who is operating a semi-automated vehicle to reduce conflicts with the merging vehicles on the expressway. We conducted experiments using a VR headset-based driving simulator (VRDS) with 20 participants, and the results of driving records and subjective evaluations showed that the information provided about speed adjustment delineators affected the driver's avoidance behavior. The participants selected the appropriate speed adjustment to follow the speed guide light at the upstream of the nose end in the merging section.This result led to merging behavior smoothly and reduced the subjective risk perceived by the drivers due to the merging vehicles. In addition, the deceleration behavior of drivers when the guide lights on became mild.