Requirements for the Design of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems - The Differences between Swedish and Chinese Drivers

Journal article, 2008

In order to decrease the amount of accidents or mitigate the consequences of them, today’s vehicles are being equipped with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems. The functionality and design of these systems is almost entirely based on research related to the driving concerns in Western countries. However, with the rapid motorization in developing countries such as China, there is an increasing need to investigate how these systems should be designed for new and growing markets. In order to address this need, research was conducted to discover the most common traffic problems facing Chinese drivers, how those problems differ from those for drivers in a country with a more developed driving culture (Sweden), and what consequences these differences will have for the design of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems. Results show that, even though Swedish and Chinese traffic rules and regulations are similar, driver behavior is highly culturally mediated. Results also indicate that the type of assistance drivers need in different traffic situations depends a great deal on driver behavior. The observed differences between Swedish and Chinese drivers suggest that Advanced Driver Assistance Systems designed for roads in Sweden may not necessarily be optimal in other markets.