Experimal study of young male drivers’ responses to vehicle collision using EMG of lower extremity

Abstract

Abstract. A driver's response to a front-coming vehicle collision consists of braking reaction time and braking behavior. The purpose was to investigate drivers' responses at different speeds, relative distances, and particularly the behavior on the accelerator at the collision moment. Twelve young men participated in driving simulator tests. Vehicle parameters and electromyograms (EMGs) of the drivers' tibialis anterior muscles were recorded and responses were analyzed. The drivers' braking reaction time windows were divided into pre-motor time, muscle activation time, accelerator release time, and movement time. By comparing the reaction times and collision times, braking behaviors were investigated. It was found that movement times (r = -0.281) decreased with speed. Pre-motor times (r = 0.326) and muscle activation times (r = 0.281) increased with relative distance. At the collision moment, the probability of the driver's lower extremity being on the accelerator, in the air, and on the brake pedal was 7.4%, 18.9%, and 73.7%, respectively. With higher speeds and smaller distances, the lower extremity was more likely to be in the air or even on the accelerator in different muscle activation states. The driver will collide in normal driving postures which muscles are not or not fully activated in very urgent situation.

Kinematic and Electrophysiological Characteristics of Pedal Operation by Elderly Drivers during Emergency Braking

“…In the case of young drivers, the electromyograms of the ankle dorsiflexors and plantar flexors during emergency braking have been measured in previous studies [ 9 , 10 , 11 ]. The tibialis anterior and plantar flexors play important roles in controlling the force exerted by the foot on the accelerator while driving at a constant speed [ 10 ].…”

The Driver’s Steering Feel Assessment Using EEG and EMG signals

“…Stefan Haufe predicted emergency braking using electroencephalography and surface EMG, and achieved an earlier trigger time compared with the prediction based on brake pedal movement (Haufe et al, 2011). With nonintrusive feature, surface EMG was also applied in ergonomics design through frequency spectral analysis (Mastrigt et al, 2015;Kolich, 2014), and in injury mechanism research for vehicle crashes (Gao et al, 2015(Gao et al, , 2016.…”