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Program Update

The IVBSS program is a five-year cooperative research agreement to combine several crash warning subsystems -- including forward collision, lane departure, lane change, and curve speed warning -- into a single, integrated concept to enhance the safety of both passenger vehicles and heavy trucks.

During the first two years of the IVBSS program (2006-2007), the industry team designed, built, and conducted tests to verify the prototype systems on the passenger cars and heavy trucks. The prototype vehicles underwent a series of closed-course track tests aimed at ensuring that the integrated system met the performance requirements and was safe for use by unescorted volunteer drivers during the field operational test, which was planned for Phase II. Approval to proceed with Phase II was granted on April 8, 2008.

In Phase II (June 2008-October 2010), a fleet of 16 passenger cars and 10 heavy trucks were constructed and prepared for the field test. Ten (10) IVBSS-equipped International ProStar 8600-series trucks owned by Conway Freight, Inc. of Ann Arbor, Michigan were used. The heavy truck field test began in February 2009 and was completed on December 15, 2009. The trucks were driven by 20 volunteer drawn from the pool of Conway’s regular pick-up and delivery and line haul drivers and operated over a ten month period, amassing 16,500 hours of driving. Approximately 650,000 miles of driving data was collected with 140,000 miles of baseline data and 510,000 miles with the integrated system enabled.

The light vehicle field test began in April 2009 and was completed on May 1, 2010. Sixteen 2006-07 Honda Accord LX sedans were outfitted with the IVBSS sensor suite and used by 108 volunteer drivers recruited in Southeastern Michigan. Field test participants used the vehicle for a 40-day period. During the first 12-days, the integrated system was disabled, allowing collection of baseline driving data. The integrated warning system became operational at the end of the 12th day, allowing collection of 28 days of driving data per volunteer.

Light vehicle drivers were debriefed following completion of their use of the test vehicle and were invited to participate in focus groups along with other drivers. Approximately 220,000 miles of driving data was collected during the field test, with 74,000 miles of baseline driving data and 146,000 miles with the integrated system enabled.

The analysis of all field test data has been completed, the results of which can be found in the final reports now posted to this Web page. The following reports have been completed and are now publicly available