3.3 Collision Notification Systems
Intelligent Vehicles
Collision Notification Systems
- Mayday/ACN
- Advanced ACN
Figure 3.3.1
Classification Scheme for Collision Notification Systems
Collision notification systems have been designed to detect and report the location and severity of incidents to agencies and services responsible for coordinating appropriate emergency response actions. These systems can be activated manually (Mayday), or automatically (automated collision notification (ACN)), and typically establish wireless data and voice communications with call centers that then relay the information to emergency response services. Data transmitted include vehicle location and description and the nature of the emergency. More advanced ACN systems use in-vehicle crash sensors, Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, and wireless communications systems to automatically determine the severity, location, condition, and orientation of vehicles in an accident, and communicate this information to emergency responders. Advanced ACN data can assist responders in determining the type of equipment needed in an emergency (basic or advanced life support emergency medical services), mode of transport (air or ground), and the location of the nearest trauma center.
Figure 3.3.1 summarizes the classification of benefits and costs data under collision notification.
More than a dozen commercial Mayday/ACN products are available. Many of these products are available as factory-installed options on high-end luxury cars; others are installed as after-market products. The typical Mayday/ACN product utilizes location technology, wireless communication, and a third-party response center to notify the closest Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) for emergency response.
Table 3.3.1 provides information on the benefits and costs of collision notification systems. An assessment of the impact of these systems is indicated by using the symbols in the Impact Legend at the bottom of each page.
Table 3.3.1 – Benefits and Costs of Collision Notification Systems
| Benefits | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Goal Area | # of Studies | Impact | Example |
| Customer Satisfaction | 1 | ? | The Puget Sound Help Me (PuSHMe) Mayday System allowed a driver to immediately contact a response center, transmit GPS coordinates, and request assistance. Survey responses were collected from 23 participants equipped with Mayday voice communication systems, and 54 participants equipped with Mayday text messaging. The surveys indicated 95% of drivers felt more secure if equipped with Mayday voice communications, and 70% of drivers felt more secure if equipped with Mayday text messaging.[170] |
| Costs | |||
| Unit Costs Database | Roadside Telecommunication subsystem Vehicle On-Board subsystem |
See Appendix A | |
| System Cost | Numerous commercial Mayday/ACN products are available as factory-installed and after-market devices. Cost data are more prevalent for after-market devices than for factory-installed systems. Installation costs were not readily available. Annual service fees vary depending on the level of services offered.[28] | After-market device cost range: $400–$1,895 Monthly service fee: $10–$27 |
|
Mayday/ACN
| Benefits | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Goal Area | # of Studies | Impact | Example |
| Safety | 1 | ? | Between July 1997 and August 2000, the impacts of advanced ACN on incident notification were tracked for vehicles with and without ACN systems in urban and suburban areas of Erie County, New York. Based on a limited number of crash events, the average notification time for vehicles equipped with ACN was less than 1 minute with some notification times as long as 2 minutes, and the average notification time for vehicles without ACN was about 3 minutes, with some notification times as long as 9, 12, 30, and 46 minutes.[27] |
| Costs | |||
| Unit Costs Database | Roadside Telecommunication subsystem Vehicle On-Board subsystem |
See Appendix A | |
| System Cost | No data to report. |  |
|
Advanced ACN
Impact Legend: