And no one knows exactly how they might affect the average driver, Grace warned. Technologically, antilock brakes are marvels, able to prevent skids and shorten braking distances. But traffic safety experts were surprised when they failed to reduce rear-end collisions dramatically, Grace noted. The problem, they found, wasn't the brakes so much as the way people used them. Extensive testing with nontechnical drivers in a simulators might have identified this problem early on, resulting in a redesign or better efforts to educate drivers on their proper use, Grace said.
Vehicle simulators are nothing new.
Aircraft simulators have been used to train pilots for decades. But driving a motor vehicle in congested areas is often more difficult than flying an airplane in the open sky. Motor vehicle simulators have been used for at least 30 years, said Walter Wierwille, leader of the human factors group at Virginia Tech's Center for Transportation Research in Blacksburg. Trucks are more difficult to control than cars, are less responsive, and often have to be maneuvered into contorted positions. Trucking companies are also adding more equipment.