Can light emitting diode-based road studs improve vehicle control in curves at night? A driving simulator study

Shahar, A; Brémond, Roland; Villa, Céline · 2016 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.1177/1477153516660146

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Summary

This study investigates whether active light-emitting diode (LED) road studs can improve vehicle control and safety during night-time driving on winding rural roads. The research addresses the limitations of passive retro-reflective markers, which rely on vehicle headlights and may fail in poor visibility conditions, and compares active LED delineation against traditional road lighting and unlit conditions. The primary motivation is to determine if active lane delineation (ALD) can provide superior visual guidance and lateral vehicle control while potentially offering energy savings compared to conventional street lighting. The researchers conducted a driving simulator experiment with 20 participants who drove a virtual inter-urban route under three fully counterbalanced conditions: an unlit road with only painted markings, a road illuminated by typical luminaires on curves, and a road equipped with active LED studs. The LED studs were dynamically triggered by sensors 300 meters before curves, outlining lane edges with red, white, and amber lights. The study design included a speed reduction countermeasure using variable stud spacing in the curve preparation zones. Data collection focused on objective measures, including vehicle speed, lateral position variability (standard deviation), and time spent crossing lane markings, as well as subjective assessments of safety and comfort. Statistical analyses employed repeated measures ANOVA to compare performance across straight sections, curve preparation zones, and the curves themselves. The results demonstrated that the active LED studs condition yielded better lateral vehicle control than both the unlit and road lighting conditions. Specifically, the unlit condition induced greater lateral position variability and longer crossovers compared to the studs condition. Similarly, the luminaires condition resulted in greater lateral variability in left curves and longer crossovers in right curves relative to the studs condition. Regarding speed, participants traveled significantly faster in straight sections under the studs and luminaires conditions compared to the unlit condition. In curve preparation zones, speeds were significantly higher in the luminaires condition than in the studs or unlit conditions, suggesting the LED spacing effectively encouraged speed reduction. Subjectively, participants rated both the studs and luminaires conditions as safer, more comfortable, and allowing for better control than the unlit road. The study concludes that active LED-based road studs enhance drivers' ability to control their vehicles in curves at night, outperforming both unlit roads and conventional road lighting in terms of lateral stability. The findings suggest that ALD systems can serve as an effective alternative to traditional road lighting, providing improved visual anticipation and vehicle control while potentially reducing energy consumption. This supports the potential deployment of active delineation technologies to improve road safety on winding rural routes.

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Topics

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• roadway lighting effects
• perceptual countermeasures