A Method of Selecting Automated Driving Service Sections Considering Spatial Influence Factors
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsComments and Suggestions for Authors
Title: A Method of Selecting Automated Driving Service Sections Considering Spatial Influence Factors
Data Authors: Tagyoung Kim , Kyoeng-Pyo Kang*
This paper present an interesting work for automated driving technology in Korea.
The spatial factors affecting the safety of ADS are estimated using disengagement information in the Level 3 service field data in Korea, and the method is proposed to select the automated driving service sections using spatial information analysis. To validate the method, the matching rate is compared and analyzed by applying it to the other testbed, which is currently being prepared for the Level 4 carsharing service. According to validation results, judged that the proposed method can be used to select the automated driving service section efficiently in the planning stage before deploying AVs and providing services.
In this study, Prof. Kyoeng-Pyo Kang’s team gives an excellent work. Descriptions and explanations are very detailed, at least in the view of this commentator, they are well supported. Some details and suggestions are listed in the attachment.
Comments for author File: 
Comments.pdf
Author Response
Thank you so much for your valuable comments.
Regarding your comments, their detailed responses and reflections have been described in the attached file.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for Authors
1. Please, describe shortly the structure of the paper in the introductory paragraph.
2. Even if the terms are well known, please explain the meaning of each acronym first time they appear in the text.
3. In Table 2 (page 3), you should specify the measure units of the parameters.
4. The comment from lines 170-171 does not describe accurately relation (1). You may reconsider it and write it on a distinct line.
5. The same observation for lines 174-175 and 179-180, you may write the sentence on a new line.
6. The resolution of the figures is not so good and the text inside them is not readable. Try to increase the image resolution.
7. Paragraphs 3.2 and 4.2 have the same title: “Estimating Spatial Influence Factors of Automated Driving Mode Change”. You have to differentiate them.
8. There is a very high similarity between the first 15 pages of this paper and another one, published by the authors with some colleagues of them in 2023: “Spatial Factors’ Analysis of Affecting on Automated Driving Safety Using Spatial Information Analysis Based on Level 4 ODD Elements”. Figures and Tables are the same up to paragraph 4.3. It is necessary to synthesize the results of the previous paper, not to give all the details in the new one. This paper should present the new results regarding the validation of your method using Jeju ASTC testbed.
Comments for author File: Comments.pdf
Author Response
Thank you so much for your valuable comments.
Regarding your comments, their detailed responses and reflections have been described in the attached file.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 3 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThis study proposes a method for selecting automated driving service routes based on spatial information analysis, considering the safety and efficiency of autonomous driving technology in different service environments. The paper estimates spatial factors affecting the safety of autonomous driving services using field-collected data, spatial Operational Design Domain (ODD), and high-definition maps, and validates the method in a testbed located in the Jeju High-Tech Park. The research is highly innovative and practical, offering significant theoretical and practical implications for the commercialization of autonomous driving technology, especially during the planning phase.
Unfortunately, There are some problems, which must be solved before it is considered for publication.
IN TERMS OF FORMATTING:
1. Some references have incorrect formatting, such as the excessive character spacing in references 1, 5, 9, 10, 11, 13, 16, and 20.
2. The font for headings at the same level is inconsistent, such as between 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, etc.
3. The equation numbers are not centered properly.
IN TERMS OF CONTENT:
1.Image Quality Issues and Recommendations
Several images in the manuscript appear blurry and difficult to interpret, making it challenging for readers to extract meaningful information from them. This issue is especially noticeable in Figures 7, 9, 11, and 18, where the quality of the images significantly hinders their clarity. It is recommended that the resolution of these images be improved or that clearer, higher-quality images be provided to ensure that all visual content is easily legible and effectively supports the text.
2.Figure Placement Inconsistency
In Section 4.4, there is a detailed explanation of Figure 17, which is discussed in the context of the chapter. However, it is important to note that Figure 17 appears in Chapter 5 instead of Chapter 4, where it is referenced. This inconsistency in the placement of figures can cause confusion for readers and disrupt the logical flow of the manuscript. It would be advisable to either move the figure to the correct chapter (Chapter 4) or adjust the text to reflect the correct chapter for its placement, ensuring better coherence between the narrative and visual elements.
3.Formatting Issues with Highlighted Text
Some portions of the text in Section 4.4 and Chapter 7 are highlighted in blue, which deviates from the formatting guidelines. It is recommended that the blue-colored text be revised to adhere to the proper style guidelines, ensuring consistency in formatting throughout the manuscript. The color should be removed unless it serves a specific purpose, such as distinguishing particular sections or terms, and even then, it should follow the journal's formatting rules.
Recommendation：Reject
Overall, the automated driving service route selection method proposed in this study demonstrates high innovation and practical value. The paper presents a service route selection framework with practical significance, based on field data and spatial analysis tools. However, many of the images in the paper are too blurry to discern the information, making the related experiments less convincing. Additionally, the paper contains numerous formatting errors, failing to meet the basic requirements of an academic paper. These issues make the paper unsuitable for acceptance. Significant improvements in these areas would greatly enhance the quality of the paper. Although the final recommendation is rejection, we encourage the authors to resubmit the paper after making the necessary revisions.
Author Response
Thank you so much for your valuable comments.
Regarding your comments, their detailed responses and reflections have been described in the attached file.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 4 Report
Comments and Suggestions for Authors1. Introduction
Relevant topic. Perfect introduction.
Line 66: literature “Toolbox for test planning and test realization of scenario-based field tests for automated and connected driving“
Line 66: literature: „Using V2X-Information for Trajectory Prediction at Urban Intersections“
2. Data Analysis
Clearly describe the data on which it is based.
3. Methods and 4. results
Method of grid analysis is well described. It is understandable both in the approach and later in the results.
5. Validation
The validation could be on a larger sample. However, this deficiency has been described accordingly and is therefore understandable
Further Comments:
Line 101: Which C-ITS messages were used (CAM? /CPM?)
Table 3: Are there always the same drivers with the same vehicle ID or do the drivers change?
Figure6: Quality of the image is rather poor
Figure7b: Quality of the image is rather poor
Figure10: Quality of the image is rather poor
Figure 18b Quality of the image is rather poor
Appendix A not readable
Author Response
Thank you so much for your valuable comments.
Regarding your comments, their detailed responses and reflections have been described in the attached file.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 5 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsPlease find our comments in the attached file.
Comments for author File: Comments.pdf
Author Response
Thank you so much for your valuable comments.
Regarding your comments, their detailed responses and reflections have been described in the attached file.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Round 2
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsI think the revised manuscript meets the publishing requirements of Sensors, and you could accept this study in its current form.
Author Response
Comments 1 : I think the revised manuscript meets the publishing requirements of Sensors, and you could accept this study in its current form.
Response 1 : Thank you very much for your recommendation. Based on the method of this study, additional factors will be applied to analyze the living lab actually being deployed in Korea. We will consider submitting a paper on the analysis result to Sensors.
Reviewer 3 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThank you for resubmitting your revised manuscript. This paper has effectively addressed the issues raised during the initial review. The revised version is logically structured, with well-developed content and significant practical value. However, before the acceptance of this paper, some minor issues still need to be addressed. Below are the strengths of the revised paper and suggestions for further improvement:
Feedback on previous issues:
1. The formatting of references and subheadings has been revised in accordance with the specified requirements.
2. Images with low resolution have been substituted with higher-quality versions to enhance visual clarity.
3. The placement of figures and tables has been corrected, resulting in an improved and more coherent layout.
4. Formatting errors in the text have been rectified, contributing to a more refined and professional presentation.
Remaining issues:
1.Some figure group borders (e.g., Figures 10, 16, 18, 19) have not been hidden. Please ensure all figure borders are consistently removed for uniform presentation.
2.In Figure 10, the numbers represent the IDs of corresponding points. While this is explained later in the manuscript, it is recommended to include a brief clarification in the caption of Figure 10 for easier comprehension by readers.
Recommendation： Accept after minor revisions
The quality of the revised manuscript has improved significantly. The research is innovative, the data and experimental sections are more robust, and the language expression has also been enhanced. Although minor imperfections remain, they do not affect the overall quality of the article. Therefore, it is recommended that the manuscript be accepted after minor revisions.
Author Response
The comments reflected are marked in red.
Comments 1 : The formatting of references and subheadings has been revised in accordance with the specified requirements.
Response 1 : Thank you very much for your valuable comments.
Comments 2 : Images with low resolution have been substituted with higher-quality versions to enhance visual clarity.
Response 2 : Thank you very much for your valuable comments.
Comments 3 : The placement of figures and tables has been corrected, resulting in an improved and more coherent layout.
Response 3 : Thank you very much for your valuable comments.
Comments 4 : Formatting errors in the text have been rectified, contributing to a more refined and professional presentation.
Response 4 : Thank you very much for your valuable comments.
Comments 5 : Some figure group borders (e.g., Figures 10, 16, 18, 19) have not been hidden. Please ensure all figure borders are consistently removed for uniform presentation.
Response 5 : Thank you very much for your valuable comments. According to the comments you gave us, we hid all borders of the figure group.
- Page 11 Figure 10, page 16 Figure 16, page 18 Figure 18-19
Comments 6 : In Figure 10, the numbers represent the IDs of corresponding points. While this is explained later in the manuscript, it is recommended to include a brief clarification in the caption of Figure 10 for easier comprehension by readers.
Response 6 : Thank you very much for your valuable comments. According to the comments you gave us, we added a brief description of the ID to the caption in Figure 10.
- Page 11 line 332, Figure 10
Reviewer 5 Report
Comments and Suggestions for Authorscomments were addrressed.
Author Response
Thank you very much for your valuable comments.
