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This research was carried out as part of the French national multidisciplinary research project, PREDIT-SARI. Using a driving simulator, it aimed to test the effectiveness of road treatments intended to inform drivers about the risk of losing control on rural roads with "crest vertical curves" (Landis et al., 2004). [Rosey, F., Auberlet, J.M., Bertrand, J., Plainchault, P., 2008. Impact of perceptual treatments on lateral control during driving on crest vertical curves: a driving simulator study. Accid. Anal. Prev. 40, 1515-1523, Scopus.] used a fixed-base driving simulator to test four perceptual treatments intended to help drivers maintain lateral control when driving on crest vertical curves and found that two of them, rumble strips on both sides of the centerline and sealed shoulders, were more effective than the others. This first study prompted us to ask if non-visual sensory cues (e.g., vestibular or proprioceptive perceptions) could influence driver perception and consequently lateral control. We therefore conducted a second study on a motion-base driving simulator, using the same virtual 3D database. The results showed that: (1) drivers drive closer to the center of their lane when there are rumble strips on both sides of the centerline, or when there are sealed shoulders, than they do with the current marking system (i.e., continuous lines), and (2) the impact of the two tested perceptual treatments was replicated on both types of driving simulator.

Categorization of road scenes and safety from accident : analysis to typical representations The study of mental representations of car drivers is a promising field of research for the development of road safety. We hypothesize that road environment knowledge is organized according to a hierarchical structure, the categorial units of which have to be identified. Whithin this structure, a basic level is defined through the mental processes of categorization instanciated in driving. We further hypothesize that environmental segmentations lead to typical representations which maximize the attributes of the categories they belong to. In the present research, pictures of road sections were shown to the subjects who classified them according to potential problems they foresaw ; secondly they put into their own words the properties of each class. Afterwards the results were compared to the accidents that had actually taken place in these sections., L'étude des représentations mentales des conducteurs est un domaine de recherche prometteur pour le développement de la sécurité routière. On peut faire l'hypothèse que les représentations mentales de l'environnement routier sont organisées selon une structure hiérarchique, dont les unités catégorielles doivent être identifiées. A l'intérieur de cette structure, un niveau de base peut être identifié au travers des processus mentaux de catégorisation, instanciés lors de la conduite automobile. On peut également faire l'hypothèse que les segmentations de l'environnement conduisent à des représentations prototypiques qui regroupent l'ensemble des attributs de la catégorie auxquelles ils appartiennent . Lors de la présente recherche, des photographies de sections de routes furent présentées à des sujets. La consigne étaient de les classer selon les problèmes qu'ils pouvaient s'attendre à rencontrer ; dans un deuxième temps ils étaient invités à commenter leurs classifications. Enfin les résultats furent comparés aux accidents effectivement survenus en ces lieux. à des représentations prototypiques qui regroupent l'ensemble des attributs de la catégorie auxquelles ils appartiennent . Lors de la présente recherche, des photographies de sections de routes furent présentées à des sujets. La consigne étaient de les classer selon les problèmes qu'ils pouvaient s'attendre à rencontrer ; dans un deuxième temps ils étaient invités à commenter leurs classifications. Enfin les résultats furent comparés aux accidents effectivement survenus en ces lieux., Fleury Dominique. Catégorisation de scènes routières et sécurité : de l'analyse des accidents aux représentations typiques. In: Intellectica. Revue de l'Association pour la Recherche Cognitive, n°15, 1992/3. Connaissances et rationalités. Questions ergonomiques et recherches cognitives. pp. 97-123.

Driving simulators, particularly low-cost ones, suffer from a lack of visual realism in comparison with real roads. In order to improve the immersion of the drivers in these simulators, and also to reproduce the visibility conditions of the road, we propose to improve the visual perception in simulators by integrating High Dynamic Range (HDR) rendering, followed by a tone mapping process. The gain is a better visual fidelity with respect to the simulated environments, especially when there are bright and dark areas at the same time on the screen.

International audience; This study examines risk comparative judgments and risky behaviors while driving a car among competitive road cyclists (n = 119) and among controls (i.e., drivers who do not have almost no cycling experience, n = 142). A questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey was conducted. Results showed that competitive road cyclists assess their own vulnerability to be involved in an accident while riding (VAR) as being lower than that of the average cyclists, and their abilities to manage risks while riding (AMRR) as being higher. They assessed their own vulnerability to be involved in an accident while driving a car (VAD) as being lower than that of the average drivers, and their own quality of reflexes while driving a car (QRD) as being higher. Their tendency to express comparative optimism while assessing their comparative VAD and QRD was higher than that of controls. They also reported more prudent behaviors while driving a car than did controls. Results are discussed, as well as implications in terms of prevention.

The aim of this study was to better understand how may differ conversing by phone and conversing with a passenger by comparing the driver’s speech in both conditions. Sixteen drivers (from 21 to 50 years old) participated in an on-road experiment on motorway. Naturalistic conversations were performed in 3 conditions: car stationary, while driving under Low or High attentional demand. Speech indicators such as speech rate in words per minute, number of hesitations and repetitions per word were investigated. Phoning was revealed as being more complex than conversing with a passenger as shown by a decrease in speech rate and an increased number of hesitations and repetitions. Results also showed the negative influence of the driving condition complexity on the speech quality.

The risks related to powered two wheeler riding constitute a current major stake of public health in Europe. The motorcyclists' mortality, compared to the whole of road fatalities, does not stop increasing in Europe since 1996 (CARE, 2007). These worrying data lead to two reports: (1) motorcyclists constitute particularly vulnerable road users who do not follow the general trends from road safety progress; (2) there is a specificity of powered two wheeler riding compared to other forms of driving. However, in the scientific research field, the efforts to a better understanding of the specific phenomena associated with riding are still limited (Amans et al., 2005; Baldi et al., 2005). Our article presents an ergonomics research program (2007-2010) which relates to motorcycle learning in France. The main goal is to propose a hybrid curriculum which combines traditional training and motorcycle riding simulator. The first perspectives of research identified by an exploratory ethnographic work are detailed in this presentation. A cognitive ergonomics approach applied to road safety, inspired by Villame (2004), is used in this program. It consists in a longitudinal study of riders during the training process at the driving school and after obtaining their riding license. Three sets of data will be collected: a) numerical data on motorcycle dynamics (similar instrumentation to Larnaudie et al., 2006): three axes accelerationrotation, handlebar angle, wheels turns, accelerator positions, brake contact); b) continuous audio-video recordings of motorcyclists behaviour; c) verbalisation data collected from selfconfrontation interviews (Theureau, 2003), allowing to describe the rider experience. Contributions of this ergonomics work to the development of the INRETS motorcycle simulator for training are presented.

JP Assailly, auteur de nombreuses recherches sur les risques des adolescents, nous propose une analyse qui permet de mieux comprendre les déterminants génétiques et prénataux, les influences du processus d'attachement et des modèles familiaux sur ces conduites à risque.

Les causes de l'optimisme comparatif (estimer échapper plus aux risques que les autres) sont analysées en général, et en particulier dans le domaine de la conduite automobile ou l'optimisme comparatif est avéré tant dans l'évaluation des compétences que dans l'appréciation des risques. Dans la mesure où il constitue une stratégie active et contextualité de réponse à la menace, la prévention devrait plutôt s'y appuyer plutôt que de l'ignorer.

Negotiating curves in driving situations creates considerable difficulties. We do not fully understand the way that drivers perceive curve characteristics while approaching curves, and how they adjust their speed. Various studies have shown that the radius and angle of curves are two important parameters. Unfortunately we do not know all the cues, their use, their weight in the driving scene and their connections. Existing analyses were obtained on the road are in the laboratory; our studies used simulated driving situations (moving base simulator) for a new approach. Using comparisons of the behaviors observed in actual and simulated driving situations, we studied the anticipation in perception of four curves, by analyzing the distribution of visual fixation and scan path in connection with characteristic conditions of curves (real and simulated situations) and driving experience. Overall, there was an increase in the function of some zones: some indices were missing in the environment, road lines and roadsides were used more for controlling trajectory. This was not totally sufficient, however, and caused a reduction in anticipated driving. In simulated situations, the speedometer was used more than in real situations. Mean fixation time was shortest in real situations then in simulated situations. This can serve to demonstrate that indices are more difficult to extract from synthesized images. Experienced drivers had shorter mean fixation times than beginners and the location of fixations seems to be more adapted to curve characteristics. Finally, in methodological terms, we investigated the use of simulators and driver behavior and driving task analysis.

For 60 years, engineers have modelled traffic flow for use in roadway analysis and design. A continuing problem with such models, though, is their inability to adequately capture the human element in the system. The human driver does not think and act in precise ways, making him difficult to model using conventional mathematical means. This research explored an alternative method of formulating driving models. It started from a psychological basis and used fuzzy logic. Fuzzy logic provided a systematic way of handling imprecision, and its constructs allowed a more intuitive model of driving, one more closely resembling the thinking and acting patterns of humans. A new fuzzy logic driver model was developed. Its structure was based on a general psychological model of human information processing. It was designed so it could be programmed with specific driving behaviour by an end user. To demonstrate and validate it, the model was programmed for two lane rural highway driving and used in simulations of these facilities. Results were compared to field data and the Highway Capacity Manual and proved favourable. The result of the work was a computer based road simulation toolbox containing the new fuzzy logic driver model. The toolbox provides a user with the ability to construct his own road networks, driver types, and vehicle types. With these, he can simulate traffic and examine both isolated incidents and overall performance measures.

TRA2016 - TRANSPORT RESEARCH ARENA, VARSOVIE, POLOGNE, 18-/04/2016 - 21/04/2016; Ultrafine particle, black carbon and NOx emissions from Diesel and gasoline passenger cars have been investigated in this work, as well as influences of aftertreatment device and driving conditions (the cold start, urban, rural and motorway conditions...) on emissions. Experiments have been carried out on chassis dynamometer bench with Artemis urban, road and motorway driving cycles and NEDC (New European Driving Cycle). Exhaust from Euro 5 Diesel vehicles equipped with additive and catalysed particle filter and Euro 5 gasoline vehicle with direct injection system has been taken directly from the tailpipe and diluted by Constant Volume Sampler (CVS). Tested gasoline DI vehicle emits 25% more CO2 than Diesel vehicles for all Artemis and NEDC driving conditions. It emits 2 to 200 times more PN and BC and 5 to 150 times less NOx than Diesel vehicles. Additive DPF vehicles emit 2 times more NO2 for urban conditions (175 mg/km), comparing to Diesel catalysed DPF (80 mg/km). No significant differences have been observed between additive and catalysed DPF for CO2 and NOx emissions. The cold start induces 10 to 20% more CO2 emissions for all tested vehicles. It induces 3 to 20 times higher PN emission with a great uncertainty. For NOx and NO2, the cold start induces about 40 to 60% less emissions for additive DPF Diesel vehicles. No significant impact has been observed for gasoline and catalysed DPF Diesel vehicles. DPF regeneration was observed for Artemis motorway driving cycles, with an increase of 100 - 200 times more PN emission than standard filter operation mode.

29èmes Entretiens du Centre Jacques-Cartier. Facteurs humains, technologies embarquées et numériques : quel rôle pour les politiques de sécurité routière ?, LYON, FRANCE, 22-/11/2016 - 23/11/2016; En France en 2014, plus de 3.300 décès restent à dénombrer sur nos routes (Observatoire National Interministériel de Sécurité Routière [ONISR], 2015). La distraction et l'inattention sont considérées comme des facteurs contributifs de ces accidents. Elles semblent avoir des impacts négatifs différents sur les conducteurs mais seraient responsables d'une part équivalente des accidents (Mosedale et al, 2005). Sous le terme inattention se rassemblent différents états tels que la surcharge cognitive ou le vagabondage de la pensée (VP). Le VP peut être défini comme une réorientation endogène de l'attention, loin de la tâche en cours vers des pensées et sentiments auto-générés (Smallwood et Schooler, 2015). Le VP est un état récurrent en conduite puisque quatre conducteurs sur cinq déclarent avoir eu des pensées vagabondes durant leur dernier trajet et estiment passer plus d'un tiers de leur temps dans cet état (Berthié et al, 2015). Il est donc nécessaire d'étudier ce phénomène pour en limiter l'impact négatif. Le VP a été associé à un découplage perceptif se traduisant par une difficulté à traiter les stimuli externes (Smallwood et Schooler, 2015). Le coût cognitif engendré par ce découplage peut fortement gêner la mise à jour de la représentation de la situation du conducteur. Par ailleurs, le coût cognitif supplémentaire généré par le besoin de réorienter son attention sur la conduite pourrait être trop important surtout lors de fortes contraintes temporelles. De plus, le VP augmenterait le risque d'être considéré comme responsable d'un accident (Galera et al, 2012). Ce sur-risque serait imputable à un changement dans le comportement oculaire des conducteurs pendant le VP (He et al, 2011). De plus, cet état entrainerait une diminution des micro-régulations et une déviation de la position latérale du Îhicule plus importante (Lemercier et al, 2015). C'est pourquoi plusieurs études ont essayé d'identifier les épisodes de VP en collectant le comportement oculaire (Uzzaman et Joordens, 2011) et la variabilité de la position sur la voie (Gabaude et al, 2012). Dans la présente étude, les données cardiaques ont été collectées en plus des données oculométriques lors de sessions de conduite sur simulateur. Au cours de ses sessions, les participants devaient (a) réfléchir à des innovations dans différents domaines et (b) rapporter leurs pensées vagabondes. L'objectif était double : 1) identifier les modifications physiologiques associées à la présence de VP ; 2) mieux comprendre l'influence du VP sur le comportement oculaire des conducteurs. A terme, cette étude pourrait permettre d'apporter une aide au conducteur lorsque ce dernier est plongé dans des pensées vagabondes et se trouve dans une situation critique.

La question de l'évaluation de l'aptitude ou de l'inaptitude à la conduite est une question difficile car l'activité de conduite automobile est une activité complexe au cours de laquelle différentes régulations comportementales peuvent opérer et il est difficile d'évaluer, avec des outils suffisamment sensibles et spécifiques, l'adéquation entre l'état de santé du conducteur et l'activité de conduite qu'il mène. Comme le souligne de nombreux auteurs, aucun test visuel simple ni aucune combinaison de tests visuels n'ont permis d'identifier des individus en sur-risque d'accident sans entrainer également la disqualification d'un nombre important de conducteurs potentiellement sûres. Cet article souligne les défis de l'évaluation de l'aptitude à la conduite.