OBJECTIVE: Special light zone is a new illumination technique that promises to improve the visual environment and improve traffic safety in extra-long tunnels. The purpose of this study is to identify how light zones affect the dynamic visual characteristics and information perception of drivers as they pass through extra-long tunnels on highways.
METHODS: 32 subjects were recruited for this study, and fixation data was recorded using eye-movement tracking devices. A back propagation artificial neural network was employed to predict and analyze the influence of special light zones on the variations in the fixation duration and pupil area of drivers. The analytic coordinates of focus points at different light zones were clustered to obtain different visual fixation regions using dynamic cluster theory.
RESULTS: The findings of this study indicated that the special light zones had different influences on fixation duration and pupil area compared with other sections. Drivers gradually changed their fixation points from a scattered pattern to a narrow and zonal distribution which mainly focused on the main visual area at the center, the road near ahead and the right side of main visual area while approaching the special light zones. The results also showed that the variation of illumination and landscape in light zones were more important than driving experience to yield changes in visual cognition and driving behavior.
CONCLUSIONS: It can be concluded that the special light zones can help relieve drivers' vision fatigues to some extent and further develop certain visual stimulus that can enhance drivers' attention. The study would provide a scientific basis for safety measurement implementation in extra-long tunnels.