This study is an extension of a previous work where differences between race-car drivers and normal drivers has been investigated in a high-speed driving task. The study focused on gaining knowledge about driver differences that can be helpful in designing an adaptive ADAS by introducing the driver into the control loop. The present study takes this research forward and is oriented around finding the differences between novice and normal (experienced) drivers while performing a double lane change maneuver and a high-speed cornering task. The study aimed at finding parameters capable of differentiating the two groups with special emphasis on steering behaviour. Part A of the test procedure required the participants to complete a double lane change at various speeds (from 70km/h to 105km/h). Data analysis showed that late initial steering input given by the novices compared to the experienced drivers was the main reason for their poor performance. Steering metrics like timing of steering input, average steering rate and average steering jerk showed statistically significant differences between the two groups. Part B of the experiment required the participants to drive around a flat oval track to achieve the fastest lap times. Analysis showed that higher steering activity and differences in path strategy were the main reasons for lower lap-times shown by the experienced drivers compared to the novice drivers. Steering metrics like average steering rate, steering jerk showed higher values for the experienced group.

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Safety is one of the major areas of concerns today in the field of automotive development. Different safety measures have and are being introduced in order to improve driver/passenger and pedestrian safety. Advanced driver assist systems (ADAS) are therefore becoming increasingly important in their role of reducing driver crash risk. A shortcoming of the ADAS systems is that the variability in drivers based on skill and experience is not taken into account and the system is often designed for average or worst case driver performance thereby compromising on the dynamic behaviour of the vehicle. This study focuses on understanding and quantifying the differences in drivers. This knowledge of driver differences can be helpful in designing an adaptive ADAS by introducing the driver into the control loop. The study investigates differences between race-car drivers and normal (experienced) drivers in a high-speed driving task. The study analyses simulator data for 17 drivers on the Mallory Park test circuit. The driving task required the participants to drive around the circuit to achieve the fastest lap times. Analysis showed that higher steering activity and differences in path strategy were the main reasons for lower lap-times shown by the expert race drivers compared to the non-expert drivers. Steering metrics like average steering rate, steering jerk showed higher values for the expert group and distance traveled around the corner showed a different path strategy adopted by the experts. Both groups showed improvement in performance based on lap-times across the different sessions. Thus the study shows that expert and non-expert drivers have different steering behaviour and path strategy, which can be attributed to differences in driving experience, vehicle dynamics knowledge and vehicle control skills.@en