Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control: Merging Behavior

“Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control (CACC): Investigation of Key Human Factors Issues” is an Exploratory Advanced Research Program project designed to investigate CACC as a way to address congestion and safety issues on today’s highway system. The CACC concept envisions drivers sharing vehicle control with an automated system to control speed and braking and to form vehicle “platoons.” The goal of this project is to address some of the critical human factors issues related to the abilities and limitations of drivers using CACC. As part of their investigation, researchers used the Highway Driving Simulator to examine how drivers merged, either manually or by using CACC automation, into a line of other cars on the highway. To view simulation videos of a participant merging into a gap in traffic with and without CACC, visit: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/research/tfhrc/labs/humanfactors/video.cfm.

FHWA plans to issue a Broad Agency Announcement (DTFH61-16-R-00036) for the Exploratory Advanced Research Program to conduct research that addresses (1) Computation Methods for Analysis of Mobile Device Data, (2) Behavioral Science and Experimental Economics Approaches for Transportation, and (3) New Methods in Simulation with proposals due by October 14, 2016.  [More information is located at https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=
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The Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC) conducts research across a wide range of topics and disciplines. To supplement the expertise of the permanent staff, it is important to bring in researchers with the appropriate backgrounds to investigate specific problems at short-term basis. Through the Exploratory Advanced Research (EAR) Program, FHWA utilizes the Resident Associates (or Postdoctoral Fellows) program of the National Research Council (NRC) for this purpose. The NRC provides a process for selecting candidates on a competitive merit basis and subsequently for administration of the Resident Fellows during their tenures at FHWA. [More]