Resource Consumption and Simulator Driving Performance Using Adaptive Controls

Abstract

This research seeks to understand the usability of portable assistive driving devices as it relates to driver performance and safety. Through the use of a computer-based simulation, two sets of hand controls were tested in an environment containing driving hazards. Ten participants drove an ambulance through two sessions of high-demand, hazardous scenarios in a computer-based driving simulator. Participants drove one session with each of the two available portable hand control devices. From each of these driving sessions, driving performance metrics were measured in the form of time-to-complete, number of damage-inflicting collisions, percentage of vehicle damage accrued by the end of the drive, and percentage of road course completed. Data were also collected from a posttest survey about which hand control device participants preferred using. Results demonstrated no significant differences between hand control devices with regard to course completion, amount of damage sustained to vehicle, or number of collisions. However, a trend was identified for preference of hand control based on experience, regardless of driving performance. Although the objective results of this study were not significant, the study leads to interesting avenues of future research regarding preference as well as the need for larger populations of individuals with disabilities in simulation studies.