Experimental Setup for the Comfort Evaluation in Automated Vehicle: Design and Implementation Framework

Published

March 9, 2026

Author(s)

Wenqi Guo, Sanchit Kedia, Thomas Roth, Zeid Kootbally, Ninad Harishchandrakar, Edward Griffor, Hadhoum Hajjaj

Abstract

This technical report outlines the design and implementation of a structured experimental framework to evaluate passenger comfort during braking in automated vehicles (AVs). The study focuses on how initial velocity and available stopping distance influence deceleration profiles and perceived ride quality. Using a controlled test environment, a series of trials were conducted across a range of speeds and distances, with repeatable braking event to simulate realistic AV operations. Quantitative measures such as acceleration, jerk, and braking duration were recorded using an instrumented test vehicle to assess the comfort level of the brakes. The experimental protocol emphasizes repeatability and scalability to support future studies involving connected infrastructure, and ensures repeatability, minimizes external variability, and allows comparison across braking force levels. This framework is intended to serve as a standardized test plan for evaluating AV braking comfort in real-world or closed-course environments.

Citation

NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR) - 8612

Report Number

8612

NIST Pub Series

NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR)

Pub Type

NIST Pubs

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.8612

Local Download

Keywords

Automated Vehicle (AV), Passenger comfort, Braking behavior, Stopping distance, Vehicle speed, Deceleration profile, Experiment design, Acceleration, Jerk, Comfort evaluation.

Citation

Guo, W. , Kedia, S. , Roth, T. , Kootbally, Z. , Harishchandrakar, N. , Griffor, E. and Hajjaj, H. (2026), Experimental Setup for the Comfort Evaluation in Automated Vehicle: Design and Implementation Framework, NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, [online], https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.8612, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=961375 (Accessed March 10, 2026)