###### Abstract
[7; 8; 9] investigated the accuracy of different numerical approaches (for example, including the roll component to vehicle dynamics simulation, one- or two-way coupling between the aerodynamics and vehicle dynamics simulations, and turbulence models) in the investigation of the effects of crosswinds on vehicles. Furthermore, [PERSON] et al. [10] studied how a vehicle reacts to crosswinds on winter roads. [PERSON] et al. [11] studied the characteristics of a passenger car at high speeds when it is subjected to crosswinds. [PERSON] et al. [12] conducted a study to investigate the impact of wind loads and the movements of a floating bridge on the lateral stability of a bus in an actual on-road scenario. Moreover, comprehending the sensitivity of heavy ground vehicles to crosswinds has become the subject of many studies in recent years [13; 14; 15]. Crosswinds can cause various unfavourable effects on vehicles' driving performance, which range from comfort problems causing the fatigue of drivers to additional safety issues that cause accidents. Additionally, driving manoeuvres like high-speed turning and lane changes become riskier when there are crosswinds [2]. Driver's reactions to crosswind excitations are critical because crosswinds can affect handling, stability, and sometimes a vehicle's safety. When a vehicle encounters crosswinds, the dominant motions perceived by a driver are the yawing motion followed by lateral motion. [PERSON] [16] stated that, in the critical frequency range of crosswinds from 0.5 to 2 Hz, a driver might magnify the vehicle motion, which overlaps with the eigenfrequencies of typical passenger vehicles. Transient aerodynamic excitations, such as those induced by crosswind gusts, might be either amplified or attenuated depending on the dynamic properties of the vehicle and the driver's behaviour [16]. [PERSON] et al. [17] stated that drivers act as adaptive controllers and significantly affect the vehicle's stability when there are external excitations on the vehicle, like crosswind gusts. Nevertheless, [PERSON] and [PERSON] [18] stated that, regardless of the driver's efforts, in some cases, due to either the vehicle deviating significantly from its initial path before the driver reacts or the vehicle not responding to the driver's attempts at control, an accident might happen. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [19] aimed to simulate an adaptive, virtual driver for analysing the crosswind behaviour of the vehicle by considering the driver as a perceptive sensor. They suggested that comparing the crosswind behaviour between the vehicles' successive models using objective evaluation criteria might not reveal significant differences because of the slight variations between them. However, the drivers might perceive even slight variations as a reduction in comfort. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [20] presented that a vehicle's responses to crosswind disturbances can be predicted accurately if the driver model's parameters are appropriately determined. [PERSON] et al. [17] created a driver model that is sensitive to failures, utilizing experimental data gathered from a driving simulator study. They demonstrated that their driver model accurately replicates realistic human behaviour in response to a vehicle failure leading to an undesired brake torque on one wheel. Similar behaviour occurs when a vehicle runs through a crosswind passage, in which the crosswind forces make the vehicle deviate from its desired path. Consequently, [PERSON] et al. [21] adjusted the gain parameters of the driver model originally provided by [PERSON] et al. [17] for bus geometry and incorporated it into their research on crosswind effects. The primary approach in the earlier studies to examine the sensitivity of ground vehicles to crosswind disturbances was to ignore the driver's inputs and focus only on the interactions between the vehicle and the crosswind. On the other hand, in the current study, the impacts of varying drivers' steering inputs on the reaction of a heavy vehicle to crosswinds were investigated.