Draft Version 1.0 Final Report: Evaluation Methods and Lessons Learned from the Minnesota Department of Transportation Intelligent Vehicle Initiative Field Operational Test

Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office2003PDFTech ReportBattelle Memorial InstituteUnited States. Federal Highway AdministrationUnited States. Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationUnited States. Department of Transportation. Federal Motor Carrier Safety AdministrationBattelle Memorial InstituteMinnesotaCrash avoidance systemsIntelligent transportation systemsSnowplowsAmbulancesPolice vehiclesVisibilityField testsEvaluation and assessmentIntelligent vehicleCollision warning/avoidance systemsIntelligent vehicle initiativeOperational testsEvaluation/program assessmentFatalities reductionFHWA-JPO-05-029DTFH61-96-C-00077, Task Order 7720This report on the Evaluation Methods and Lessons Learned for the Mn/DOT Intelligent Vehicle Initiative (IVI) Field Operational Test (FOT) documents the goals and objectives, research approach, methods, and findings of a program to measure the feasibility and benefits of advanced safety systems for specialty vehicles. As part of the Intelligent Vehicle Initiative (IVI) sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), Mn/DOT tested technologies designed to provide operators of snowplows, ambulances, and police patrol cars a means to maintain desired lane position and avoid collisions with obstacles during periods of low visibility. This major project was a three-year effort to develop, test, and evaluate a lateral guidance and collision avoidance system to assist drivers under adverse weather conditions such as blowing snow, fog, and rain. USDOT selected Battelle to perform an independent evaluation of the technologies being tested. This operational test was intended to influence deployment decisions for public and private fleets by defining benefits and costs.119