Analysis of Driving Behavior with Information for Passing through Signalized Intersection by Driving Simulator

Unnecessary vehicle movements such as rapid acceleration/deceleration or long idling at a signalized intersection increase an amount of CO2 emissions from a vehicle. In this study, a method to provide the information based on the vehicle running condition and traffic signal status is therefore developed for passing through the signalized intersection ahead, which provides an indication to release an accelerator pedal and recommended speed information. If a driver follows such information, unnecessary vehicle movements can be reduced. The developed method is then introduced onto a 3D driving simulator, UC-Win/Road for evaluating the effects of the information provision on reducing the amount of CO2 emissions. Driving experiments with 32 participants under some scenarios of the information provision were conducted by using the 3D driving simulator. As a result, participants decelerated slowly at a certain distance from the intersection ahead by the information provision. Providing any information to a participant had a significant effect on reducing unnecessary vehicle movements. It was also found that the most effective information to reduce the amount of CO2 emissions was the accelerator-off indication, by which the maximum reduction of the average amount of CO2 emissions attained to 6%. It indicates that providing the information is effective for reducing CO2 emissions from vehicles approaching a signalized intersection.