TRAVERSE: Traffic-Responsive Autonomous Vehicle Experience and Rare-event Simulation for Enhanced safety


Paper Code
Under Review

Overview

This project utilizes a VR vehicle simulator within Unity Game Engine to study human responses to various accidental scenarios in simulated traffic, contributing insights into driving dynamics and safety. By addressing the scarcity of adverse data for training self-driving cars, it aims to enhance their preparedness for unexpected events, employing low-cost immersive driving simulator hardware to facilitate widespread user studies in autonomous driving research.

First-Third Person

First-person and Third-person perspectives. This view provides a realistic representation of the driving experience, enhancing the immersion for users.

Authors

Abstract

Data for training learning-enabled self-driving cars in the physical world are typically collected in a safe, normal environment. Such data distribution often engenders a strong bias towards safe driving, making self-driving cars unprepared when encountering adversarial scenarios like unexpected accidents. Due to a dearth of such adverse data that is practically unsafe for drivers to collect, autonomous vehicles can perform poorly when experiencing such rare events. This work addresses a much research need by having participants drive a VR vehicle simulator going through simulated traffic with various types of accidental scenarios. It aims to understand human responses and behaviors in simulated accidents, contributing to our understanding of driving dynamics and safety. The simulation framework adopts a robust _traffic simulation_ and is implemented using the Unity Game Engine. Furthermore, the simulation framework is built with low-cost immersive driving simulator hardware, lowering the resource barrier for user studies in autonomous driving research.

Simulation Framework

Simulator System Diagram: A schematic representation depicting the integrated flow of the simulator, encompassing the three components: Road Network generation, Traffic simulation, and 3D simulation

Simulated Scenarios

    1. Sudden Lane Change

    An abrupt lane change by a vehicle without signaling, often leading to potential collisions or dangerous maneuvers by other drivers. This scenario simulates the sudden swerving of a vehicle into another lane, catching nearby drivers off-guard and requiring quick reactions to avoid accidents.

    Sudden Lane Change

    2. T-Bone Crash

    A collision where the front of one vehicle strikes the side of another, often resulting in severe damage and injuries due to the perpendicular impact. This scenario depicts the vulnerability of vehicles at intersections, where failure to yield or misjudgment of oncoming traffic can lead to devastating T-bone crashes.

    T-Bone Crash

    3. Sudden Vehicle Stop

    An unexpected halt of a vehicle, possibly due to a sudden obstacle or emergency situation, requiring swift reactions from following vehicles to avoid rear-end collisions. This scenario highlights the importance of maintaining a safe following distance and being alert to sudden changes in traffic conditions.

    Sudden Vehicle Stop

    4. Running Red Lights

    Vehicles disregarding traffic signals and crossing intersections while the traffic light is red, posing a significant risk of collisions with crossing traffic or pedestrians. This scenario emphasizes the critical need for obeying traffic signals and the potential consequences of reckless driving behavior.

    Running Red Lights

    5. Deer Crossing

    Encountering a deer or wildlife crossing the road unexpectedly, necessitating quick decision-making to avoid collisions and ensure the safety of passengers and animals. This scenario underscores the importance of being vigilant for wildlife hazards, especially in rural or wooded areas.

    Deer Crossing

    6. Crash at Roundabout

    Collisions occurring within a roundabout due to improper yielding or lane changes, highlighting the importance of understanding roundabout rules and yielding procedures. This scenario demonstrates the complexities of navigating roundabouts safely and the potential risks of traffic congestion and accidents.

    Crash at Roundabout

    7. Crash at Ramp Merger

    Accidents happening at the merging point of highway ramps, often due to improper merging techniques or failure to yield, emphasizing the need for cautious merging practices. This scenario illustrates the challenges of merging into fast-moving highway traffic and the importance of signaling and yielding to ensure smooth traffic flow.

    Crash at Ramp Merger

    8. Jaywalking Pedestrian

    Pedestrians crossing roads illegally outside designated crosswalks, increasing the risk of accidents and urging drivers to remain vigilant for unexpected pedestrian movements. This scenario highlights the dangers of jaywalking and the importance of pedestrian safety awareness for both drivers and pedestrians.

    Jaywalking Pedestrian