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This study examines a driver assistance system to prevent unnecessary deceleration at a signalized intersection. The assistance system presents the distance required to pass through signalized intersections without decelerating. The driving simulator experiments are carried out to evaluate the performance of the system. The system encourages the earlier deceleration and prevents the unnecessary deceleration. These effects contribute to reduce the fuel consumption. In addition, the assistance system shortens drivers’ reaction time to the emergency deceleration of the preceding vehicle in comparison with the conventional onboard monitor indication. This effect achieved the reduction of the collision risk to the preceding vehicle.

This study proposes a driver assistance system that provides an appropriate pedal operation by considering information on the pre-preceding vehicle. The system calculates the risk of collision by taking into account not only the preceding vehicle, but also the pre-preceding vehicle ahead of the preceding car. The computed numerical risk is then translated into the visual interface that assists the driver to make an appropriate acceleration and deceleration in carfollowing. Several participants who participated in driving simulator experiments were instructed to follow a preceding as well as a visible pre-preceding vehicles with and without the driver assistance system. It was found that the assistance system succeeded in reducing the relative velocity with the pre-preceding vehicle and in eliminating the unnecessary acceleration and deceleration of the following vehicle. Safety and fuel economy were also significantly improved by introducing the proposed system.