(PROmoting real Life Observations for Gaining Understanding of road user behaviour in Europe)

Naturalistic observations provide information that is difficult or even impossible to obtain by current research methods. For example, analyses of crash statistics or in-depth crash investigation can hardly provide information about behavioural issues preceding a crash or about near misses. Observations by means of instrumented vehicles or simulators do not encourage the test subjects to behave in a normal (naturalistic) way, since they are generally well aware of the experimental conditions.

Typically, in a naturalistic driving study, subjects’ own cars are equipped with devices that, for a longer period of time, continuously monitor various aspects of their driving behaviour in an unobtrusive way and without the presence of a test supervisor. This includes aspects of vehicle movement, of driver behaviour, and of the direct environment. Naturalistic observations of pedestrians and cyclists can be effectuated using site-based fixed cameras. Experiences in the US showed that the naturalistic approach gives a reliable picture of the driver‘s normal behaviour and makes it possible to observe and analyse the interrelationship between driver, vehicle, road and other road users under normal conditions, in conflict situations and in actual collisions.

The PROLOGUE project aims at assessing the feasibility and usefulness of a large-scale European naturalistic driving study and to set the scientific and organisational basis for this new type of research.

Naturalistic driving studies will lead to a better understanding of the factors that affect road user behaviour and will help to enhance road safety, e.g. by assessing, improving and developing in-car technologies, the self-explanatory nature of roads, driver training, et cetera. This naturalistic approach is also expected to shed light on issues related to road
traffic management and eco-driving.