Understanding Snow Plow Alarms

Principal Investigator(s):

Nichole Morris, Director, Human Factors Safety Lab, Mechanical Engineering

Project summary:

The difficult task of operating a snowplow under dangerous weather conditions can be supported by automated monitoring systems that notify drivers. Such systems typically rely on alarm sounds to notify and direct driver attention to snowplow functions or hazardous conditions that require operator intervention. However, each alarm system may not have been developed with a human-centered focus nor considered what happens when multiple alarms are active at the same time. Poor design of the alarm sounds within auditory alarm systems can result in annoyance, distrust, and disuse, which may lead to high-risk and costly accidents. As new systems are added to MnDOT snowplows, it is critical to review the driver experience of existing systems, determine how well they meet human factors standards, and establish guidelines for new systems. Study objectives will be to review and document best practices for alarm design, examine current alarm systems in MnDOT plows, and provide guidance for existing and future ADAS auditory alerts to support snowplow operators.

Project details:

  • Project number: 2025034
  • Start date: 12/2024
  • Project status: Active
  • Research area: Safety and Mobility
  • Topics: Safety, Snow and ice control