Citation

Suenaga K, Suzumura A, Yoshida K. IATSS Res. 1980; 4(1): 17-29.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1980, International Association of Traffic and Safety Sciences, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The research places the point of contact between man and machine on the driver and vehicle tail-light. The hypothetical differences in vehicle behavior caused by differences in the height of the driver's seat varying between large and small sized vehicles were measured. Also the area covered by the line of sight of the driver operating both sized vehicles was measured. Based upon the change in line of sight sphere common to both vehicle types when driving at night, conditions were observed using an index of distance between vehicles for both day and night driving on the Tomei expressway. It was discovered that for both large and small vehicles, the distance between vehicles became less at night than during the day. This phenomenon was analyzed in terms of both vehicles and drivers and it became possible to make a definitive statement about this close-up distance. A discussion of the preliminary considerations for making future studies of the causes of this close up phenomenon has accompanied experimental testing of the tail-light functions which seem to be an index of this close-up phenomenon.

KEYWORDS:
Daylight; Drivers; Human machine systems; Motor reactions; Night; Night vision; Perception; Reaction time; Rear lighting; Sight distance; Size; Spacing; Vehicle spacing; Vehicles; Vision; close following