Effects of experience and electronic stability control on low friction collision avoidance in a truck driving simulator

Markkula, Gustav; Benderius, Ola; Wolff, Krister; Wahde, Mattias · 2013 · Crossref

DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2012.09.035

archive: archived pipeline: cataloged verified

Get this paper ↗ (DOI — opens at the source; we link to it, we don't host it)

Summary

This study investigates the impact of driving experience and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) on collision avoidance maneuvers in heavy trucks under low-friction conditions. Motivated by the impending mandatory implementation of ESC in European heavy trucks and a lack of empirical data regarding driver behavior in ESC-relevant scenarios, the research aims to determine how novice and experienced drivers respond to unexpected rear-end collision risks and whether ESC mitigates control loss. The researchers conducted two experiments using a moving-base truck driving simulator. The first experiment involved 24 drivers (12 novice, 12 experienced) who encountered an unexpected braking scenario on a low-friction surface, followed by repeated trials with instructions. The second experiment appended an identical unexpected scenario to the end of a separate Lane Keeping Assistance study involving 24 drivers. The scenario required evasive steering to avoid a collision, as braking alone was insufficient. Drivers were randomly assigned to conditions with or without ESC active. Data collected included reaction times, steering inputs, collision frequency, and objective measures of vehicle stability, such as maximum body slip angle and full control loss. In the unexpected scenario, novice drivers collided significantly more often than experienced drivers. This disparity was primarily attributed to longer steering reaction times among novices, suggesting lower expectancy for steering avoidance rather than differences in braking performance. Experienced drivers also exhibited shorter brake reaction times and applied less aggressive braking. Regarding ESC, the system reliably reduced skidding and prevented full control loss during the repeated, instruction-based avoidance trials. However, in the unexpected scenario, ESC-relevant maneuvers were infrequent (19% of cases), and the study found no statistically significant difference in collision rates between ESC-on and ESC-off conditions. The authors note that the benefits of ESC observed in repeated trials may not fully generalize to unexpected situations where driver behavior is less predictable. The findings highlight that driving experience significantly influences reaction times and collision outcomes in critical low-friction scenarios, with novices struggling more due to delayed steering responses. While ESC effectively stabilizes the vehicle during controlled maneuvers, its real-world efficacy in unexpected events depends heavily on the driver’s ability to initiate the necessary steering inputs. The study also validates the methodological approach of appending unexpected scenarios to unrelated experiments for efficient data collection, though it cautions that repeated, instructed trials may not perfectly replicate the behavioral dynamics of unexpected hazards.

Provenance

The full processing record for this entry. Every stage of this paper's journey through the pipeline is logged — what ran, with which tool and model, how many attempts it took, and when it last completed.

Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-26; verification: verified.

Topics

Ranked by relevance to this paper. Hover a topic for its definition.

• automation surprise

Information type

What kind of knowledge this paper contributes, grouped by family — independent of topic (what it is about) and method (how it was studied).

• Empirical Findings: behavioral performance data
• Methodological Resource: tool software
• Theoretical Contribution: computational model