Skip to main content
Log in

Misperception of road curvature due to slope change

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Japan Journal of Industrial and Applied Mathematics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This article points out how a driver might misperceive the curvature of a road curve if the curve is combined with a slope change that the driver does not recognize. We investigated the relationship between the apparent curvature of a road and the change of the slope, and clarified the difference between the perceived curvature and the actual curvature when the driver mistakenly believes that the slope is constant. Curves are typical road structures on which traffic accidents occur frequently, and the main cause of these accidents is regarded as excessive speed due to driver carelessness. The results of this study suggest one possible reason why drivers travel too fast on curves. Other aspects of the optical illusion that cause misperception of the curvature are also touched upon.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bressan, P., Garlaschelli, L., Barracano, M.: Antigravity hills are visual illusions. Psychol. Sci. 14, 441–449 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Daintith, J., Nelson, R.D. (eds.): The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics. Penguin Group, London (1989)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Doi, S., Tachiwana, S., Doi, S., Wakabayashi, H.: Accident prevention on the basis of accidental analysis during curved road. J. Jpn. Soc. Mech. Eng. C 79, 3100–3109 (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Farin, G.: Curves and Surfaces for CAGD, Fifth Edition: A practical Guide. Morgan Kaufmann, Burlington (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Goto, T., Tanaka, H. (eds.): Handbook of the Science of Illusion. University of Tokyo Press, Tokyo (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Iida, Y., Kitamura, R. (eds.): Traffic Engineering. Ohmsha, Tokyo (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Institute for Traffic Accident Research and Data Analysis: Tables of statistics of traffic accidents, 2019. https://www.itarda.or.jp/materials/statistical/free. Accessed 1 Apr 2020

  8. Ishibashi, H.: Jikoha Naze Okoru!? (Why Do Accidents Occur!?) (in Japanese). Media Factory, Tokyo (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Japan Road Association (Ed.): Road Structure Ordinance (in Japanese). Japan Road Association, Tokyo (2015)

  10. Kobryri, A.: Transition Curves for Highway Geometric Design. Springer Tracts on Transportation and Traffic, vol. 14. Springer, Berlin (2017)

    Google Scholar 

  11. Lamm, R., Guenther, A.K., Choueiri, E.M.: Safety module for highway geometric design. Transp. Res. Rec. 1512, 7–15 (1995)

    Google Scholar 

  12. Tuinashi, S.: Study on the Inclination Perception of Slopes (in Japanese). Kazama Shobo, Tokyo (2013)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The author expresses his sincere thanks to the anonymous reviewers for their instructive comments, by which he could improve the manuscript. This work is partly supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant number 18K19827.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kokichi Sugihara.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sugihara, K. Misperception of road curvature due to slope change. Japan J. Indust. Appl. Math. 38, 379–389 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13160-020-00441-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13160-020-00441-z

Keywords

Mathematics Subject Classification

Navigation