Adaptive cruise control can mitigate phantom traffic jams, says Ford

Phantom traffic jams can be minimised through adaptive cruise control (ACC) technology, says Ford. These traffic jams occur when one driver hits the brakes and causes a chain reaction of other drivers tapping their brakes which causes traffic flow to halt. Ford conducted a test alongside Vanderbilt University researchers on a closed test track involving 36 vehicles across three lanes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GYfXxVn2Oc The motor company says the main causes of phantom jams are human fa
July 10, 2018 Read time: 2 mins
Phantom traffic jams can be minimised through adaptive cruise control (ACC) technology, says Ford. These traffic jams occur when one driver hits the brakes and causes a chain reaction of other drivers tapping their brakes which causes traffic flow to halt.


Ford conducted a test alongside Vanderbilt University researchers on a closed test track involving 36 vehicles across three lanes.

%$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 link-external https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GYfXxVn2Oc false https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GYfXxVn2Oc false false%>

The motor company says the main causes of phantom jams are human factors such as merging into traffic without signalling, distracted driving, poor driving habits, slow reaction times or unnecessary braking.

Initially, drivers without ACC were tested with lead vehicles in each lane slowing down from 60mph to 40mph to replicate a traffic disturbance. These drivers braked harder than the vehicle ahead – and this led to traffic slowing down to a crawl in some cases.  

The test was repeated with all vehicles using ACC set at 62mph, which outperformed human drivers in nearly every braking situation. The system allows vehicles to slow down automatically and speed up to keep pace with the car in front.

Daniel Work, civil engineering professor, says humans still have an advantage over machines in their ability to see one or more vehicles ahead, which enables them to be more precise in their response to traffic slow-downs.
 
Michael Kane, supervisor, Ford Co-Pilot360 Technology, says: “Give ample space between you and the vehicle ahead, stay alert and that will always help traffic flow more smoothly, and help us all get to our destinations on time.”

The 2019 Ford Edge will be the first SUV to include Ford Co-Pilot360 – a suite of standard driver-assist technologies which include pedestrian detection, blind spot information system with cross-traffic alert, lane keeping system, rear view camera and auto high-beam headlamps.

Urban Traffic Control

Related Content

  • Lane departure warning, blind spot detection help drivers avoid trouble, say researchers
    September 7, 2017
    According to new research from the US Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), lane departure warning, a technology designed to address an often-fatal type of crash, is preventing crashes on US roads. A separate study shows that blind spot detection also is yielding benefits when it comes to preventing lane-change crashes.
    Read More
  • Kistler looks for speed camera synergies
    March 21, 2018
    Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) specialist Kistler says its move into speed camera enforcement will help complement its core activities. The firm acquired German company eso, which manufactures portable speed measurement devices, last year, and Tomas Pospisek, Kistler’s global market development manager for road & traffic, says: “We’re hoping this will bring us synergies. We’re monitoring the weight and they’re monitoring the speed. It’s an important step, for sure.” When it comes to WIM, Kistler still maintains ther
    Read More
  • TEST Controls has international test appeal
    March 27, 2013
    Founded in Milan in 1968 with the aim of manufacturing and distributing testing instruments, machines and systems for the construction and civil engineering industries, Controls is now a leading and globally-renowned producer of testing equipment. With branches in France, Mexico, Poland, Spain and the UK, and with more than 100 qualified distributors across the world, Controls says it can satisfy customers with its operating efficiency, technical know-how and after sales care.
    Read More
  • Distraction dominated teen driver accident causes.
    June 3, 2015
    As a new report shows that distracted driving is a bigger cause of accidents than previously thought, Jon Masters asks what should be done to counter this problem. Research carried out by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has shed new light on the dangers of distraction for teen drivers. Six years of study using video analysis has shown that 58% of all crashes involving teen drivers are caused by the driver being distracted and proved that the influence of external factors is stronger than previously th
    Read More

Highlighted Content