Safety Engineering

Latest Advanced Technology and Tasks in Automobile Engineering

Seminar 5: Safety Engineering for Prevention of Accidents

Jenna M. Eason

 

Summarize information from today’s Lecture.

Safety engineering focuses on three categories of errors, which lead to accidents: Control Technology, Sensing Technology, and Human Science.  Human error is the cause of 80% of accidents and is the result of the perception, decision, and motion process.  The remaining 20% are caused by system failures.  The goal is to analyze human factors and create an assist system to help the driver and to create an infallible and redundant control system.

First, human behavior must be analyzed.  To do this, complex motions are decomposed into primitive motions and mode transitions between them in a scientific mode and graphing system.  Complex mathematical systems are able to quantify and classify human behavior and reactions.  This information can be graphed, which allows visual analysis.  From this information, assisting systems can be developed.  These systems may be also quantified, visualized, and analyzed for effectiveness.

Nissan employs this technology in developing a system, which responds to the “six level shield”.  Each level of the shield represents a varying level of risk from normal driving to an unavoidable contact zone.  Using sensor technology, as a vehicle approaches an obstacle, it responds at a different level based on which level of the shield the object is in.  For example, it may create visual and audio warning signals, release the gas, or even press the break, to avoid an accident.  This technology aims to decrease the number of serious and fatal injuries by making the driver more aware, and assisting them in a difficult situation.

Several of these systems are in the development process.  One such system is referred to as “fault tolerant control of lateral motion”.  This system operates with sensors, which detect the distance between two cars.  One goal is to maintain a constant range of a safe distance from the car in from.  The other goal is to detect deviations from the center of the road to ensure that the car is staying within the proper lane.  These systems were tested through simulations and an experimental site for accuracy and proved effective.  This technology will be available in September for US Nissans. 

 

Sources:

1) Akatsu, Yousuke, Nissan Motor Co. LTD, “Innovative Safety Concept and Solution”, presentation for Latest Advanced Technology and Tasks in Automobile Engineering course at Nagoya University, June 16, 2008.

2) Suzuki, Tatsuya, Nagoya University Dept. Of Mechanical Science and Engineering, “Safety Engineering for the Prevention of Accidents”, presentation for Latest Advanced Technology and Tasks in Automobile Engineering course at Nagoya University, June 16, 2008.