A statistical analysis of visual detection failures for active safety function evaluation

The objective of this study is to understand the visual detection failure sequences that result in traffic accidents. An accident causation analysis was used to interpret and group causal factors for 5 distinct detection failure types that caused traffic accidents. Principal component analysis was used to interpret in-depth, on spot, accident causation data. Several scenarios were identified describing combinations of context, contributory and precipitating accident risk factors. These scenarios are discussed with regards to the functionality active safety technologies and automotive systems designs with special emphasis on the driver’s needs, the safety functions needed to fulfil these needs and contextual constraints.