UI simulator helps cut winter traffic deaths, develop new tech
Driving conditions change quickly in winter, turning roadways into demolition derbies. Over the last 15 years, crash-related fatalities have trended downward in Iowa, but remain higher than 300 a year since 1925.
In 2021, Iowa wanted to change that.
“Our goal this year is to get below 300 traffic fatalities in Iowa,” said Colonel Nathan Fulk, Chief of the Iowa State Patrol in a press conference on June 8 as part of the creation of the Iowa Traffic Fatality Task Force.
That goal for 2021 was not met as the number once again ticked over 300 by late November. The official number is 324 as of Nov. 30.
The National Advanced Driving Simulator at the University of Iowa has played a key role in bringing down crash-related fatalities for more than 30 years. Tech in modern cars today was first created, and tested, in Coralville.
From adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning and lane keeping systems actually came through this laboratory 25 years ago,” said Daniel McGehee, the Director of the National Advanced Driving Simulator. “We work 25 to 35 years ahead of production to help reduce the severity of crashes and hopefully eliminate them altogether.”
Simulators put new drivers to the test with pre-set scenarios. Snow, ice, wind and fog can be toggled on and off, testing drivers’ abilities and reaction times.
“In that first we have to recalibrate our driving and that mainly relates to how we break and steer,” McGehee said. “We have to remember that we have to break much farther ahead of time and we will probably feel our anti-lock brake system that jittery, that buzzing of the brakes.”
McGee said it’s also important to remember to not pump your brakes, but to hold them down and let the vehicle brake.
Snow and ice has a significant impact on your ability to stop a vehicle. At 50mph with snow covering the road, it can take 500 feet to stop. Add ice, it doubles to 1000’. That’s compared to just 125’ with dry pavement.
Other important tips, make sure your wipers are in good condition at the start of the season. Make sure ice and now are cleared completely from all windows. Finally, clear ice and snow from the headlights and brake lights.
Researchers at the university are working on better tech to help drivers respond to bad weather conditions. Challenges like how weather and non-paved roadways with no markings affects self-driving and autonomous vehicles are being studied exclusively in Iowa.
“(Gravel roads) don't have the kinds of pavement markings computer vision systems like to understand where they are in the roadway,” McGehee said. “We have four seasons. We are about to get snow and we assume in the next few weeks all those things make it very difficult for highly automated vehicles to operate.”
Most of the research related to self-driving and autonomous cars is taking place in much warmer climates where snow is not a concern. The University of Iowa plans to take up that part of the research.
“We like to solve the difficult problems,” McGehee said.
