Einfluss von Fahrzeuginnenraumakustik und -vibrationen auf die Geschwindigkeitswahl von Kraftfahrern

• Influence of acoustics and vibration on the speed choice of drivers

Lank, Christian; Steinauer, Bernhard (Thesis advisor)

Aachen : Publikationsserver der RWTH Aachen University (2010)
Dissertation / PhD Thesis

Aachen, Techn. Hochsch., Diss., 2010

Abstract

The European Union set itself a high aim in 2001 in terms of its road safety policy with its objective of halving the number of people killed on EU roads by the year 2010. Since then a large part of the road safety work has consisted of carrying out cause studies and developing strategies for reducing the number of victims of road accidents. When different types of roads are compared, country roads are the most dangerous according to the latest accident figures. So this is where the greatest need for action lies in order to effectively reduce the number of accidents. By way of example the present study focused on hazardous bends in country roads, for which a cost-effective concept for influencing speed behaviour and thus improving road safety was developed and evaluated. A possible way of reducing speed and consequently the number of accidents on country roads is to influence the driver through acoustic and haptic signals. These can be located both on the vehicle and on the road. Internationally the use of transversal rumble strips (TRS) as a warning signal is already being implemented successfully in many cases. The designs however are mostly based on experimental arrangements. The present study considers not only the state of the technology with regard to the use of TRS but also essential psychological considerations which serve as a basis for an optimised design of transversal rumble strips. The focus lies on the awareness and risk perception of drivers. On the basis of literature studies it is shown that haptic and acoustic signals have a decisive - often underestimated - impact on speed behaviour. So an active influence on speed level is expected through a targeted alteration of these parameters. Building upon basic research, different design variants of TRS were examined and optimised with regard to their physical effect. As a result of these analyses a design variant was conceived which proved to be optimal regarding its acoustic and haptic effect on the driver. The impact of this design variant on speed behaviour was analysed and evaluated in the framework of traffic-technical investigations. The impact analysis was completed by acceptance surveys. In the framework of this paper it could be proved that transversal rumble strips represent a fast, cost-effective alternative for exerting a positive influence on speed behaviour and thus on road safety.