The Actual Use of the Dynamic Performances of Vehicles

Abstract

INRETS (France) has carried out research work to determine to what extent drivers make use of the dynamic performances of vehicles in the course of everyday driving. A sample of drivers from varied backgrounds drove over a set distance, including all types of road infrastructures, at the wheel of a specially instrumented vehicle. The data analysis shows that longitudinal and lateral accelerations are low in everyday driving. Significant inter-individual variations in the behaviour of drivers, when at the wheel of the same vehicle, over the same stretch of road, were also revealed.