Automotive Collision
Avoidance Systems (ACAS)
Program

Final Report

Printed copies of this report are available from the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, Virginia 22161.

This publication is distributed by the U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in the interest of information exchange. The opinions, findings and conclusions expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and nor necessarily those of the Department of Transportation or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The United States Government assumes no liability for its content or use thereof. If trade or manufacturer's names or products are mentioned, it is because they are considered essential to the object of the publication and should not be construed as an endorsement. The United States Government does not endorse products or manufacturers.

Technical Report Documentation Page

1. Report No.

DOT HS 809 080
2. Government Accession No.

3. Recipient's Catalog No.

4. Title and Subtitle
Final Report -- Automotive Collision Avoidance System (ACAS) Program
5. Report Date

August 2000

6. Performing Organization Code

7. Author(s)

8. Performing Organization Report No.

9. Performing Organization Name and Address
Delphi-Delco Electronic Systems
One Corporate Center
P.O. Box 9005
Kokomo, IN 46904-9005
10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS)

11. Contract or Grant No.

DTNH22-95-H-07162

12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
U.S. Department of Transportation
400 7^th Street, S.W.
Washington, DC 20590
13. Type of Report and Period Covered

Final Research Report
1 Jan 95 -- 31 Oct 97

14. Sponsoring Agency Code

15. Supplementary Notes

The Automotive Collision Avoidance System Program was conducted by a consortium led by Delphi-Delco Electronic Systems. Other members of the consortium were: General Motors Corporation/NAO Safety and Restraint Center, General Motors Research and Development, Hughes Research Laboratories, ERIM International, UC Davis, and STI.

16. Abstract

Since the mid-1960s thare have been significant advancements in vehicle safety. Passive safety features such as seat belts, air bags, crash zones and lighting have dramatically reduced accident rates, injury severity and the number of fatalities. For example, the fatality rate per hundred million vehicle miles traveled has fallen from 5.5 to 1.7 from the mid-1960s to 1994. In spite of these impressive improvements, each year in the United States, motor vehicle crashes still account for a staggering 40,000 deaths, more than three million injuries, and over $130 billion in financial losses. Significant further gains in reducing crash costs will prove more difficult to achieve by proceeding with the current passive safety technologies alone. Consequently, there is merit to investigate other promising technologies in an attempt to reduce the severity of crashes or even complete mitigation of all collisions.

The introduction of automotive collision warning systems potentially represents the next significant leap in vehicle safety technology by attempting to actively warn drivers of an impending collision event, thereby allowing the driver adequate time to take appropriate corrective actions in order to mitigate or completely avoid the event. With this as an impetus, the Automotive Collision Avoidance System (ACAS) Program was launched.

This report documents the activities undertaken by the ACAS Consortium carried out during the period January 1, 1995 through October 31, 1997.

17. Key Words
Collision avoidance, crash avoidance, collision warning, rear-end collisions, forward collision warning, human factors
18. Distribution Statement
This document is available to the public from the National Technical Information Service,
Springfield, VA 22161

19. Security Classif. (of this report)

None
20. Security Classif. (of this page)

None
21. No. of Pages

155
22. Price

Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed page authorized

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1. Report No. DOT HS 809 080	2. Government Accession No.		3. Recipient's Catalog No.
4. Title and Subtitle Final Report -- Automotive Collision Avoidance System (ACAS) Program			5. Report Date August 2000
			6. Performing Organization Code
7. Author(s)			8. Performing Organization Report No.
9. Performing Organization Name and Address Delphi-Delco Electronic Systems One Corporate Center P.O. Box 9005 Kokomo, IN 46904-9005			10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS)
			11. Contract or Grant No. DTNH22-95-H-07162
12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address National Highway Traffic Safety Administration U.S. Department of Transportation 400 7^th Street, S.W. Washington, DC 20590			13. Type of Report and Period Covered Final Research Report 1 Jan 95 -- 31 Oct 97
			14. Sponsoring Agency Code
15. Supplementary Notes The Automotive Collision Avoidance System Program was conducted by a consortium led by Delphi-Delco Electronic Systems. Other members of the consortium were: General Motors Corporation/NAO Safety and Restraint Center, General Motors Research and Development, Hughes Research Laboratories, ERIM International, UC Davis, and STI.
16. Abstract Since the mid-1960s thare have been significant advancements in vehicle safety. Passive safety features such as seat belts, air bags, crash zones and lighting have dramatically reduced accident rates, injury severity and the number of fatalities. For example, the fatality rate per hundred million vehicle miles traveled has fallen from 5.5 to 1.7 from the mid-1960s to 1994. In spite of these impressive improvements, each year in the United States, motor vehicle crashes still account for a staggering 40,000 deaths, more than three million injuries, and over $130 billion in financial losses. Significant further gains in reducing crash costs will prove more difficult to achieve by proceeding with the current passive safety technologies alone. Consequently, there is merit to investigate other promising technologies in an attempt to reduce the severity of crashes or even complete mitigation of all collisions. The introduction of automotive collision warning systems potentially represents the next significant leap in vehicle safety technology by attempting to actively warn drivers of an impending collision event, thereby allowing the driver adequate time to take appropriate corrective actions in order to mitigate or completely avoid the event. With this as an impetus, the Automotive Collision Avoidance System (ACAS) Program was launched. This report documents the activities undertaken by the ACAS Consortium carried out during the period January 1, 1995 through October 31, 1997.
17. Key Words Collision avoidance, crash avoidance, collision warning, rear-end collisions, forward collision warning, human factors		18. Distribution Statement This document is available to the public from the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161
19. Security Classif. (of this report) None	20. Security Classif. (of this page) None		21. No. of Pages 155	22. Price

Automotive Collision Avoidance Systems (ACAS) Program

Final Report

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Automotive Collision
Avoidance Systems (ACAS)
Program