How can drivers be successfully supported in safety-critical situations? The European research and technology center Tecnalia has investigated this question in a current research project within the AWARE2ALL initiative. The aim was to develop an adaptive co-pilot concept that supports drivers in maintaining speed and safety distances through haptic feedback on the accelerator pedal – intuitively, effectively, and without visual or acoustic overload.
SensoPedals Pro from Sensodrive were used for this purpose. The market-leading, active force feedback pedals formed the technological basis for implementing and evaluating novel haptic interaction strategies in the vehicle in a realistic manner.
The goal: intuitive haptic support instead of distraction
The research project focused on a haptic assistance system that alerts the driver to critical driving situations via targeted resistance and vibrations in the accelerator pedal. If the vehicle exceeds a defined speed limit or the distance to the vehicle in front decreases, the pedal reacts with graduated haptic signals. This allows the driver to react early and intuitively – without taking their eyes off the road.
Various feedback strategies were investigated, including proportionally increasing resistance forces, vibration signals, and hybrid approaches that balance comfort and safety depending on the driving situation. In addition, support for critical distances to the vehicle in front was also tested, with the pedal progressively prompting the driver to reduce speed.
The guarantee for successful implementation: SensoPedals Pro from Sensodrive.
Tecnalia deliberately chose SensoPedals Pro from Sensodrive for the implementation of the project. The decisive factors were the high flexibility of the CAN-based control system, the precise controllability of the forces applied, and the natural pedal feel, which is very similar to that of a conventional vehicle.
In a comparison of projects, the Sensodrive pedals were particularly impressive due to their high sensitivity and responsiveness. While alternative solutions allow for higher forces, these often come at the expense of sensitivity and dynamics. The SensoPedals Pro offered a balanced combination of sufficient force, direct feedback, and realistic pedal movement—a crucial prerequisite for the development and evaluation of haptic driver assistance systems.
Haptics as the key to the next generation of assistance systems.
The project impressively demonstrates the potential of multimodal human-machine interfaces in vehicles. Haptic feedback complements visual and acoustic information in a meaningful way and can help to shorten reaction times and defuse safety-critical situations at an early stage – especially in complex or distraction-intensive driving situations.
With SensoPedals Pro, Sensodrive provided the technological basis for researching these approaches in a realistic manner. The combination of leading torque and force feedback technology, robust hardware, and open interfaces enables research institutions such as Tecnalia to efficiently implement and further develop innovative assistance concepts.
Sensodrive has been supporting research and development projects in the fields of driver assistance, simulation, and human-machine interaction with its force feedback solutions for many years – thereby making an important contribution to the mobility of tomorrow.
