The development of an objective methodology for the evaluation of drivers’ field of view

This paper presents research into driver vision and methods to quantify the field of view afforded a driver through a combination of direct vision (through windows) and indirect vision (through mirrors). Focusing primarily on Large Goods Vehicles (LGVs) a 3D projection technique has been developed to allow the field of view to be projected to form a visible volume of space representing what can be seen by the driver. This projection technique has previously been used in a qualitative manner to assess the presence of blind spots in proximity to LGVs and the degree to which other road users may be visible to the driver. To supplement this qualitative assessment a new quantitative, objective measure of field of view has been developed and implemented in the digital human modelling system SAMMIE. The objective measure involves the projection of the field of view afforded from a window aperture or via a mirror onto the surface of a sphere centered at the driver’s eye point. The area of the resulting spherical polygon is calculated to provide an assessment of field of view that allows comparison between different vehicle configurations.