Safety systems and human-machine interfaces oriented to diverse population towards future scenarios with increasing share of highly automated vehicles

Project Information

AWARE2ALL

Grant agreement ID: 101076868

DOI

10.3030/101076868

Project closed

EC signature date 30 August 2022

Start date 1 November 2022

End date 31 October 2025

Funded under

• Climate, Energy and Mobility

Total cost

€ 7 999 817,51

EU contribution

€ 7 999 817,50

Coordinated by

FUNDACION CENTRO DE TECNOLOGIAS DE INTERACCION VISUAL Y COMUNICACIONES VICOMTECH
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - AWARE2ALL (Safety systems and human-machine interfaces oriented to diverse population towards future scenarios with increasing share of highly automated vehicles)

Reporting period: 2022-11-01 to 2024-04-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

AWARE2ALL aims to pave the way towards HAV deployment in traffic by addressing changes in road safety and interactions among different road users caused by HAV emergence through the development of innovative technologies along with corresponding assessment tools and methodologies. AWARE2ALL is developing safety and HMI systems interrelated through achieving a holistic understanding of the scene to ensure safe HAV operation. AWARE2ALL is developing safety systems adapted to new scenarios in mixed traffic, considering two perspectives:
1.Inside the Vehicle (Occupant Safety): A continuous occupant state monitoring (OMS) assesses the interior situation (e.g. activities performed by the occupants) and, in case of an emergency situation (e.g. sudden reach of the ODD limit due to an abrupt weather change), decides if it is possible to perform a control transition to a driver or a fallback maneuver to avoid a collision. If avoidance is impossible, advanced passive safety systems are adapted to the occupant status to reduce injury severity. At any time, the HAV systems' behavior needs to be adequately and timely communicated to the occupants by internal HMI (iHMI).
2.Outside the Vehicle (HRUs Safety): A surround perception system allows the HAV to identify HRUs behavior and anticipate safety-critical situations. By enabling the vehicle to effectively communicate with HRUs through external HMI (eHMI), dangerous situations could be avoided.
To ensure user acceptance, social sciences and humanities (SSH) disciplines, particularly cultural and psychological aspects, are integrated at all project stages (requirements definition, development, testing, impact assessment, and methodologies). In this first period, SSH collaboration has involved various associations (PAVE Europe, The Red Croix, and ONCE) in design and validation processes. These entities, along with consortium experts on SSH, have refined and selected the most suitable technology approaches and defined use cases to test, representing the project's main objective: including diverse populations in CCAM development.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

In this first period of the project, AWARE2ALL has made significant advancements in all its objectives, which are detailed below:
OBJ1 Definition of relevant Use Cases to demonstrate and validate the project achievements (90% achieved): Studies of critical scenarios, occupant parameters, and use case unification in WP1 have helped define and prioritize use cases and metrics. WP5 has focused on defining testing and assessment methodologies, refining use case selection, and ensuring measurable KPIs. Outcomes are documented in D1.1 D1.2 and D5.1.
OBJ2 Develop one virtual prototype of passive safety (50% achieved): The First Demonstrator, focused on Passive Safety and Use Cases, extends the occupant protection range by considering various occupant postures and orientations. Initial simulations and results for this first period are reported in WP2. No deliverables were due, but initial simulations mark significant progress.
OBJ3 Develop two active safety physical prototypes (35% achieved): Two active safety physical prototypes are being developed. These prototypes adapt technical developments from the technical WPs regarding internal and external situation awareness and active safety strategies. The first demonstrator focuses on physical emergency braking and evasive maneuvering for shuttles. The second addresses control transition strategies for situations with an available driver. Integration and unit tests have been carried out, though prototypes require stable technical modules from other WPs.
OBJ4 Development of a hybrid (virtual and physical) prototype (30% achieved): A hybrid prototype for internal HMI is in development to enable bi-directional interaction. Integration of WP3 outcomes provides interior situation awareness, with various physical interactions being integrated and developed. Discrepancies will be addressed in the next period.
OBJ5 Extension of the ODD definition by including occupant/driver state definition (65% achieved): During this reporting period, interior ODD (including driver and occupant status) was exercised in WP2 following the OpenLabel standard. The outcome is reported in D3.1 where KPIs are generated for descriptions, and measurable elements are annotated following the OpenLabel standard.
OBJ6 Develop an eHMI physical prototype (D4) for effective communication and interaction with HRU (50% achieved): The eHMI physical prototype for effective communication and interaction with HRUs is being integrated and developed in a physical car. Two approaches, acoustic and visual, are being developed, integrating WP4 outcomes. Initial digital integrations and physical elements were developed in this period, with virtual validation of selected use cases.
OBJ7 Develop innovative testing methods and tools for performance assessment of AWARE2ALL solutions (30% achieved): WP5 has developed innovative testing methods and tools for performance assessment of AWARE2ALL safety and HMI solutions, using virtual and physical tools to validate the four demonstrators and showcase their impact on HAV safety for occupants and HRUs.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

AWARE2ALL builds on prior and ongoing research, which has shaped some concepts and produced evidence applicable in narrow contexts. The project seeks to advance the SotA by broadening the evidence base to develop better safety concepts. The main advances beyond SotA include:
• Active Safety Systems: Enhanced HAV safety concepts through a broader evidence base.
• Passive Safety Systems: Defined different interior concepts, including optimized restraint systems for various occupant postures and diversity. Using human body models (HBM) for restraint system optimization by crash simulation, proposing a correlation factor for simulated acceleration values and standard injury criteria like HIC15 (Head Injury Criterion for a 15ms interval). Cabin structure changes and component innovations are proposed for integrating new restraint systems, like seat-mounted safety systems and energy absorbers. Simulation results for pre-crash maneuvers include occupant body motion effects affecting restraint system effectiveness.
• Occupant Monitoring System: Effective fusion of multiple in-cabin sensor data (video cameras, 3D sensors, audio sensors, physiological sensors, vehicle dynamics). Progress in robust detection of head and body features from drivers and passengers with minimal hardware. Enhanced reconstruction of full-face, eye, and 3D body dynamics of drivers. Development of comprehensive measures to assess driver state, including fatigue, attention, intentions, behavior, and their impact on driving task readiness. Improved driver take-over readiness, reducing time required to resume driving. Metrics to quantify readiness levels will be integrated into the holistic driver system.
• External Perception: Significant progress in fusing optical and non-optical sensor data, providing feedback to DL algorithms for self-improvement, enhancing

AWARE2ALL digital integration of acoustic approach in Demo 4