Citation

Crisler MC, Brooks JO, Riggins K, Garris B, Tyler J, Dahl S. Proc. Int. Driv. Symp. Hum. Factors Driv. Assess. Train. Veh. Des. 2009; 5: 191-197.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, University of Iowa Public Policy Center)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Driving simulators offer researchers experimental control while minimizing safety issues and reducing costs relative to on-road and test track experimental procedures. However, with the control of the visual environment that simulators allow, it can be tempting to develop experimental protocols that utilize displays within the visual environment of the simulator. Such displays have the potential to differentially affect driving performance based on their location within the driving environment. A simulator experiment was conducted in order to assess the effects of having drivers fixate a display at nine different locations on the center channel of a DriveSafety driving simulator. In general, driving performance was best when the display was in the middle of the screen. Both horizontal and vertical deviations from the center of the screen resulted in increased lane position variability, and drivers tended to drive closer to the opposite lane boundary toward which they were fixating when a display was located to the left or right of the center. In addition, response times to a task presented in the display were faster when the display was located toward the center of the screen.