PMSS Project Details

Project ID:	FHWA-PROJ-09-0067
Project Name:	Making Driving Simulators More Useful for Behavioral Research
Status:	Active
Contact:	Last Name: Philips First Name: Brian Telephone: 202-493-3468 E-mail: brian.philips@dot.gov
Organization:	Federal Highway Administration - Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC)
Office:	Office of Safety Research and Development
Team:	Human Factors Team
Roadmap/Focus area(s):	Not Applicable
Project Description:	Conduct experiments across multiple high-fidelity driving simulators (with partners) and compare outcomes to existing field data and to each other. The goal is to then develop a set of mathematical transformations that will allow scientists and engineers to better predict the behavior of drivers in real environments based on the results of experiments conducted in driving simulators.
Laboratories:	Human Factors Laboratory
Start Date:	November 12, 2009
End Date:	January 31, 2013
Funding Amount:	$1,700,000.00
FHWA Program Name:	Exploratory Advanced Research
Goals:	Conduct experiments across multiple high-fidelity driving simulators (with partners) and compare outcomes to existing field data and to each other. The goal is to then develop a set of mathematical transformations that will allow scientists and engineers to better predict the behavior of drivers in real environments based on the results of experiments conducted in driving simulators.
Project Type:	Onsite and Offsite
Background Information:	The results of driver simulator research do not always agree with real-world experience, or with results from field studies. Indeed, behavioral results from two different driving simulators may produce different results. These latter differences may be because of the physical differences between the two simulators. For example, simulator A may have a motion base, whereas simulator B does not. Simulator B may have sophisticated graphics, whereas simulator A does not. Roadway engineers would be more inclined to use driving simulators if the findings of results could be transformed to take into account the characteristics of the driving simulator. Such transformation functions, if they can be derived, would more accurately predict real-world driving behavior from driving simulator behavior, and would make it possible to more readily integrate results from different driving simulators.
Test Methodology:	Driving simulation experiment
Other Information:	Data not yet available
Partners:	Data not yet available
More Information URL(s):
Fieldtest:	Data not yet available
Expected Benefits:	The outcomes of this project will greatly benefit the driving safety research community as it will begin to quantify much needed information about how simulators and simulator characteristics relate to each other and to real-world driving data.
Deliverables:	Name: Making Driving Simulators More Useful for Behavioral Research Final Report Product Type(s): Research report Description: A preliminary set of mathematical transformations that will allow scientists and engineers to better estimate their simulator-based effects as applied to real roadway use. These transformations will be of two kinds: those that are generally applicable across a wide variety of simulators and those that represent correction factors that need to be applied for a particular type of simulator. Audiences: Human Factors Researchers, Researchers Secondary Audiences:
Related URL(s):
Project Findings:	Data not yet available
FHWA Topics:	Research/Technologies--FHWA Research and Technology Research/Technologies--Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC)
TRT Terms:	Driving Simulation Human Factors Safety Research Driving Simulators Highways
FHWA Disciplines:	Safety
Subject Areas:	Research Safety and Human Factors