Effects of Signing and Configuration of Partially Automated Truck Platooning on Light-Vehicle Driver Behavior [techbrief]

NHTSA · 2024 · ROSA P / United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway Administration. Office of Research, Development, and Technology

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Summary

This study investigates how partially automated truck platooning affects the behavior and perceptions of light-vehicle drivers, specifically examining the roles of signage and platoon configuration. As automated truck platoons approach commercial deployment, there is concern that unsigned platoons with short following distances may be perceived as aggressive, while longer gaps might invite dangerous cut-in maneuvers by human drivers. The research aims to determine whether informing drivers about the automation through signage and varying platoon sizes (two or three trucks) and gap distances (0.6, 0.9, or 1.2 seconds) influences safety and driving effort. The researchers conducted two experiments using the University of Iowa’s National Advanced Driving Simulator. Experiment 1 involved 48 participants assigned to four groups based on signage conditions: no signs, roadside-mounted signs, truck-mounted signs, or both. Participants completed 18 trials involving highway entry, exit, and through-lane driving, followed by questionnaires assessing safety perceptions and driving effort. Experiment 2 involved 36 new participants assigned to three groups with varying gap distances. These participants encountered two- or three-truck platoons during similar driving scenarios and completed post-drive surveys. Experiment 1 found that signage did not significantly influence merging or exiting behaviors, as most drivers waited for platoons to pass regardless of sign presence. However, roadside signs were associated with lower-risk behavior, such as staying in the outer lane, and participants reported feeling safer and experiencing less driving effort compared to those seeing truck-mounted signs. Truck-mounted signs, particularly when combined with roadside signs, correlated with higher feelings of unsafety. Experiment 2 revealed that platoon size significantly impacted behavior; three-truck platoons increased the likelihood of risky cut-ins during highway merging. Longer gap distances also tended to increase cut-in behavior during merging, though this was not statistically significant. Drivers spent more time in the inner lane when encountering specific configurations, such as two-truck platoons with 0.9-second gaps or three-truck platoons with 0.6-second gaps, which researchers deemed risky due to increased lane-changing requirements. Participants consistently reported that truck-following distances were shorter than average and expressed discomfort, particularly in through-lane areas. The study concludes that no single platoon configuration minimizes risk across all highway sections. Roadside signs appear more beneficial than truck-mounted signs for promoting safer driver perceptions and behaviors. The findings suggest that platoons capable of self-configuring their size and gap distances based on traffic conditions and highway sections would be most effective in enhancing safety. The authors recommend further research in mixed-fleet environments and under varying traffic conditions to establish best practices for automated truck platooning operations.

Key finding

Three-truck platoons significantly increased the likelihood of risky cut-in behaviors during highway merging compared to two-truck platoons, and roadside signs were perceived as safer and less effortful than truck-mounted signs.

Methodology

simulator

Sample size: 84

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

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• traffic density
• following distance