Enhancement of Instrumented Car Design for Driver Behaviour Research

This paper describes the development of an instrumented car as a tool for data collection in driver behaviour research. The planning and design stages are explained in detail, including the use of Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) approach. The details of system architecture, options for data acquisition and sensors,   fabrication, installation, calibration and system level test are also discussed. The paper also highlights new design approaches for a robust system that addresses limitations of instrumented vehicle in driver behaviour research, as reported in previous studies. These approaches include a design and modification of the data acquisition platform which improves the reliability and efficiency of the system. This modification enables measurement of data from various communication protocols such as Ethernet, CANBus, serial, and USB.   This improvement has enhanced the capability of the instrumented car in recording various forms of driving behaviour data during actual driving on the road. This paper concludes that the enhancement in the data acquisition system and instrumentation can contribute significantly to driver behaviour research.