By JOHN DELLA CONTRADA
Contributing Editor

To prevent your car from spinning out on an icy roadway, is it better to turn the steering wheel toward or away from the direction of a skid?

UB mechanical engineers—using a virtual-reality driving simulator and human subjects—are addressing this annual winter-weather question and are developing new technologies that one day may help drivers proceed safely in bad weather.

Tarunraj Singh sits at the virtual-reality driving simulator PHOTO: Donna Longenecker

Honda Corporation and Veridian have funded their research.

"The goal is to create tools and strategies that enhance the ability of a driver to cope with inclement conditions," says Tarunraj Singh, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering. "Technology can supplement the natural instincts of drivers, helping them take corrective action and stabilize their cars in worst-case scenarios."

Singh points out that many drivers instinctively know that turning the steering wheel toward a skid can help prevent a spinout, but the real trick to stabilizing a car is knowing how much and how fast to turn the wheel and when to turn the wheel back. The car's speed, road conditions, the type of tires used and the car's weight are important factors when stabilizing a skidding car.

It's nearly impossible for drivers to know how to react safely in every situation, given all these variables, Singh says.

That's where technology can help.

In UB's Virtual Reality Laboratory, drivers at the wheel of the simulator are confronted with various driving conditions that, together or alone, might lead to a spinout, such as icy roads, poor visibility, inappropriate speed and locked brakes. A controller developed by Singh and fellow researchers monitors the vehicle's slip angle (which factors the direction of the steering wheel and the direction angle of the car), as well as the driver's reactions to various driving conditions.

As drivers within the simulator are confronted with spinout conditions, they are provided cues that guide their maneuvers and help them to stabilize their "car." These cues-in the form of audio tones and blinking lights-instruct the driver on how quickly to turn the wheel and in which direction.

According to Singh, the audio cues were particularly effective in helping drivers stabilize the car, even in the most severe driving conditions.

"With the audio cues, every driver we tested was able to stabilize the car with no problem," says Singh. "The visual cues proved less effective, possibly because the driver was overloaded with other visual cues from the roadway and dashboard."

Based on the results, Singh and his co-researchers are considering whether cars could be equipped with alarms that alert and guide drivers when their car is in danger of spinning out. And the researchers soon will begin testing the effectiveness of tactile cues, such as a vibrating steering wheel, which would tell drivers what direction to turn the wheel to stabilize their car.

"Tactile cues may be more effective than audio cues, and they also may be more acceptable to the driver," Singh says. "Many drivers would be embarrassed if an alarm sounded while they're driving—especially if they have a passenger with them," Singh explains. "The implication would be that they're a bad driver because they put the car in a dangerous situation.

"It's very important to consider human factors when testing the effectiveness of these technologies," Singh adds.

In addition to testing the viability of tactile cues, Singh and his fellow researchers plan to use the virtual-reality driving simulator to test the dangers of cell-phone use while driving and they are working on a driver-education system to prepare new drivers for the perils of driving in inclement weather.

Contributing to the research are Thenkurussi Kesavadas, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and director of the Virtual Reality Lab; Roger Mayne, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, and Ann Bisantz, assistant professor of industrial engineering.