Continuous subjective strain measurement

Abstract

Driver assistance and information systems are gaining more and more importance in modern vehicles. In addition to their specific functionalities, these systems also aim to optimise drivers' current strain, because overload as well as underload can increase errors, lead to critical situations and can create furthermore unpleasant experiences for the driver. As workload changes in a highly dynamic way, these systems have to react in a similarly dynamic manner. This requires a fast and dynamically changing estimation of the driver's strain. In recent studies, the author described the relationship among strain changes, driving manoeuvres and environmental factors. In order to further examine this dependency, a simulator study was conducted where traffic densities were varied and strain was measured continuously with the aim to analyse the level and time course of drivers' current strain. Implications for workload adaptive advanced driver assistance systems are discussed.