The attached report is from the NHTSA sponsored program, "IVHS Countermeasures

for Rear-End Collisions," contract #DTNH22-93-C-07326. This program's primary

objective is the development of practical performance guidelines or

specifications for rear-end collision avoidance systems. The program consists

of three Phases: Phase one: "Laying the Foundation" (Tasks 1-4), Phase two:

"Understanding the state-of-the-art" (Tasks 5 & 6), and Phase three: "Testing

and Reporting" (Tasks 7-9). This work focuses on light vehicles only and

emphasizes autonomous in-vehicle-based equipment (as opposed to cooperative

infrastructure-based equipment.)

The results and conclusion presented in this interim report are preliminary in

nature. The Task 2 report "Functional Goals" presents the functional goals

developed for three basic types of rear-end collision avoidance and related

systems (Driver Warning System (DWS), Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC) System,

Automatic Control System (ACS)). In addition, the report presents the dynamic

situations relevant to the rear-end crash problem. These dynamic situations

allow the events leading to accidents, and accidents themselves, to be

subdivided into smaller groups that can be addressed invididually. To establish

the functional goals, a taxonomy of collision subsets and crash-related events

that provide a basis for identifying opportunities for intervention in the

sequence of events leading to a crash was developed. The functional goals

established for each of the system types is based on this taxonomy. The report

also established the terms and definitions as they relate to this program. This

is done to provide background into the rear-end collision avoidance problem and

to standardize on definitions and terminology.

THE RESULTS PRESENTED IN THIS REPORT ARE BASED ON A LIMITED AMOUNT OF WORK

CARRIED OUT WITH LIMITED INTERACTION WITH THE ACADEMIC, RESEARCH, AND INDUSTRY

COMMUNITIES. ANY CONCLUSIONS DRAWN FROM THE RESULTS PRESENTED MUST BEAR THIS

IN MIND.

Phase two goals include a detailed state-of-the-art review of technologies

related to rear-end collision avoidance systems and the design of a test bed

system(s). Phase two will finish in mid June 1996.

Phase three goals include the building and use of the test bed system, the

generation of the final performance guidelines or specifications, and the final

reporting on all aspects of the project. Phase three will finish in early

1998.

Work continues through Phase two and three to add to, and to refine, the

preliminary performance guidelines or specifications presented in the Task 4

report.