# Presentation: 862272

## EXPERIENCE WITH A LOW COST, PC BASED SIMULATOR FOR DRIVER’S EDUCATION 

**Systems Technology, Inc.**
- R. Wade Allen, Theodore J. Rosenthal, George Park, Marcia Cook
**Southern California Research Institute**
- Dary Fiorentino
**University of California at San Diego**
- Erik Viirre
**NTSB Forum on Driver Education and Training**
**Washington, DC**
**28,29 October 2003**

## PROJECT OVERVIEW

- Project Funded by the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, *Center for Disease Control*, Atlanta, GA.
- Phase II SBIR Started in September, 2001.
- Expected Completion in September, 2005.
- Present Status:
- Subject Training Completed
- Data Analysis and Driving Record Data Collection Underway

- NTSB Forum on Driver Education and Training

- 29 October 2003

## PROJECT OBJECTIVES

- Develop PC Based Training and  Assessment System
- Train 500 Unlicensed High School Students
- Compare Violation and Accident History of Simulator Trained Subjects with a Demographically Matched Control Group
- Assess the Effect of Simulator Configuration on Training Effectiveness

- NTSB Forum on Driver Education and Training

- 29 October 2003

## ISSUES IN NOVICE DRIVER EDUCATION/TRAINING

- How to Gain Driving Experience without Increased Exposure to Collisions (‘Licensure Paradox’)
- Minimal Evidence of Effectiveness of Formal Driver Instruction on Safety
- How to Treat Developmental Sources of Crash Risk (‘Power of Friends,’ Optimistic Bias, Adolescent Emotionality)

- NTSB Forum on Driver Education and Training

- 29 October 2003

## TRAINING OBJECTIVES

- Orientation in Road and Traffic Safety
- Teach Critical Skills in Real Time:
- Situation Awareness
- Hazard Perception
- Decision Making
- Steering and Braking

- NTSB Forum on Driver Education and Training

- 29 October 2003

## COMPUTER BASED INSTRUCTION APPROACH

- Focus on Psychomotor, Cognitive and Perceptual Skill Deficiencies
- Include Experiences that Demonstrate the Value of Safety Practices
- Make Novices Aware of Their Limitations and Counteract Problem of Over Confidence

- NTSB Forum on Driver Education and Training

- 29 October 2003

## ASSESSMENT AND TRAINING FUNCTIONS

- Assessment – Evaluating Capability and Suitability of Drivers
- Training – Establishing and Improving Driving Skills
- Common Elements:
- Driving Scenario(s) Including Hazardous Situations
- Performance Measurements
- Evaluation Criteria

- NTSB Forum on Driver Education and Training

- 29 October 2003

## TRAINING FUNCTIONS

- Accommodates Multiple Trials and Sessions
- Can Include Automated Feedback (e.g. “mind your speed”, “scan your blind spots”, etc.)
- Multiple Trial Training to Acceptable Performance Criteria

- NTSB Forum on Driver Education and Training

- 29 October 2003

## TARGETED DRIVER BEHAVIORS

- Sensory/Perceptual
- Psychomotor
- Cognitive:
- Situation Awareness
- Risk Assessment
- Decision Making

- NTSB Forum on Driver Education and Training

- 29 October 2003

## PLATFORM FUNCTIONAL CAPABILITIES

- Allows for Login, Record Keeping,   Presentation of Orientation and Tutorial Material, Simulation Administration, and Performance Feedback
- Simulator Assessment for Screening Driving Skills
- Training Potential for Novice, Experienced, Commercial and Aging Drivers

- NTSB Forum on Driver Education and Training

- 29 October 2003

## INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT  SYSTEM COMPONENTS

- NTSB Forum on Driver Education and Training

- 29 October 2003

## SAMPLE DATS SLIDES

- NTSB Forum on Driver Education and Training

- 29 October 2003

## NOVICE DRIVER HARDWARE CONFIGURATIONS

- NTSB Forum on Driver Education and Training

- 29 October 2003

## CRITICAL EVENT TIMING

- NTSB Forum on Driver Education and Training

- 29 October 2003

## DRIVING SCENARIO EXAMPLES

- NTSB Forum on Driver Education and Training

- 29 October 2003

## NOVICE DRIVER TRAINING PERFORMANCE

- NTSB Forum on Driver Education and Training

- 29 October 2003

## NOVICE DRIVER TRAINING PERFORMANCE

- NTSB Forum on Driver Education and Training

- 29 October 2003

## NOVICE DRIVER TRAINING PERFORMANCE

- NTSB Forum on Driver Education and Training

- 29 October 2003

## DRIVER’S EDUCATION AND LICENSING IN CALIFORNIA(REQUIREMENTS)

- CA Dept of Education Mandates that Schools Must Teach Driver’s Education
- Need Not Be a Graduation Requirement
- DMV Requirements for a Provisional License:
- 30 Hours of Classroom Training and Education
- 6 Hours of Behind the Wheel Training with a Licensed Trainer
- 50 Hours (10 hours at Night) of Supervised Driving with a Licensed Adult

- NTSB Forum on Driver Education and Training

- 29 October 2003

## DRIVER’S EDUCATION IN CALIFORNIA(OUR EXPERIENCE)

- Contacted Local School Districts to Participate in this Study.
- Software and Hardware Provided at No Cost to the School in Return for Including the Simulator Training in their Driver’s Education Curriculum.
- Three School Districts Participated – One Provided Computers for Use in the Simulator Training.
- Other School Districts Contacted Did Not Have a Driver’s Education Program.

- NTSB Forum on Driver Education and Training

- 29 October 2003

## TEACHER FEEDBACK

- Detailed Feedback Was Solicited From One High School:
- “Simulator Added a Valuable Dimension to Their Instruction.”
- Simulator Gave the Instructor a Practical Basis for Explaining Safe Driving Techniques.
- Majority of Students Enjoyed the Experience and Competed to Complete Before One Another.
- Teachers Provided Valuable Feedback on How to Improve the Training and Wanted the Training to be Continued Next Year.
- The Bad News -- Driver’s Education is Being Removed as a Graduation Requirement in This School.

- NTSB Forum on Driver Education and Training

- 29 October 2003

## SUMMARY

- Relatively General Purpose Platform for Assessment and Training
- User Flexibility in Preparing Orientation and Instructional Material, Driving Scenarios and Performance Measures
- Designed for Relatively Autonomous Operation
- Designed to be Run Outside the Research Laboratory by Operational Personnel (Teachers, Trainers, Screeners, Therapists, etc.)

- NTSB Forum on Driver Education and Training

- 29 October 2003

## FUTURE ISSUES

- Integration with Traditional Driver’s Education Programs
- Research on Cognitive Skills Training
- Effective Amount of Simulator Training
- Transfer of Training
- Potential of On-Board Data Recording Devices

- NTSB Forum on Driver Education and Training

- 29 October 2003

## THE FUTURE FOR PC BASED ASSESSMENT AND TRAINING

- Improved PC Hardware:
-  Main Processing
-  Graphics Processing
-  Visual and Aural Displays
- Lower Cost
- Improved Scenarios (Critical Hazards)
- Validation Studies (Transfer of Training)

- NTSB Forum on Driver Education and Training

- 29 October 2003

## SIMULATOR SICKNESS DURING NOVICE DRIVER TRAINING

- NTSB Forum on Driver Education and Training

- 29 October 2003