Citation

Joonwoo S, Yongtae L, Manho K, Reimer B. Proc. Int. Tech. Conf. Enhanced Safety Vehicles 2009; 2009.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, In public domain, Publisher National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Recent technological advances have enabled a wide variety of information systems to be integrated into a vehicle in order to increase productivity, safety, and comfort. However, improperly deployed technology can degrade safety and annoy drivers. Especially, potential information overload problems may become acute among older drivers who are the fastest growing segment of the driving population. This paper aims to understand the age-related driving performance decline under a series of increasingly complex in-vehicle auditory tasks (n-backs). Data was drawn from a series of single task exercise and repetitions of the tasks under simulated driving conditions. In the simulation, 63 participants aged in their 20s or 60s drove through either a complex city or highway paradigm, appropriately counterbalanced. At a specified location in the canter of each of the two contexts, participants were asked to complete a series of auditory tasks of increasing complexity. Before beginning and after completing the simulation, drivers were asked to complete the auditory task in stationary non-driving conditions. Comparisons of younger and older drivers' secondary task performance will be discussed. In addition, differences in driving performance including average speed, speed variability, and lane keeping performance will be used to gauge older adult's capacity to regulate the demands of complex in-vehicle tasks in safe manner. The full text of this paper may be found at: http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/esv/esv21/09-0531.pdf