Safety Impact Methodology (SIM): Application and Results of the Advanced Crash Avoidance Technologies (ACAT) Program

This paper provides a summary of four cooperative research projects conducted under the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Advanced Crash Avoidance Technologies (ACAT) program. The ACAT program sought to determine the safety impact of new and emerging crash avoidance technologies that are intended to help drivers avoid crashes, reduce crash severity, and prevent injuries and fatalities. This research developed and applied a Safety Impact Methodology (SIM) framework to estimate safety benefits for the proposed pre-production crash avoidance systems. This paper presents the application and results of the Safety Impact Methodology for four different crash avoidance technologies including: Advanced Collision Mitigation Braking System by Honda, Lane Departure Warning by Volvo-Ford, Pre-collision Safety System by Toyota, and Backing Crash Countermeasures by General Motors.