Logo image
Augmented reality cues and elderly driver hazard perception
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Augmented reality cues and elderly driver hazard perception

Mark C Schall Jr, Michelle L Rusch, John D Lee, Jeffrey D Dawson, Geb Thomas, Nazan Aksan and Matthew Rizzo
Human factors, Vol.55(3), pp.643-658
06/2013
DOI: 10.1177/0018720812462029
PMCID: PMC3875361
PMID: 23829037
url
https://doi.org/10.1177/0018720812462029View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of augmented reality (AR) cues in improving driving safety among elderly drivers who are at increased crash risk because of cognitive impairments. Cognitively challenging driving environments pose a particular crash risk for elderly drivers. AR cuing is a promising technology to mitigate risk by directing driver attention to roadway hazards. We investigate whether AR cues improve or interfere with hazard perception in elderly drivers with age-related cognitive decline. A total of 20 elderly (M = 73 years, SD = 5) licensed drivers with a range of cognitive abilities measured by a speed-of-processing (SOP) composite participated in a 1-hr drive in an interactive, fixed-base driving simulator. Each participant drove through six straight, 6-mile-long, rural roadway scenarios following a lead vehicle. AR cues directed attention to potential roadside hazards in three of the scenarios, and the other three were uncued (baseline) drives. Effects of AR cuing were evaluated with respect to (a) detection of hazardous target objects, (b) interference with detecting nonhazardous secondary objects, and (c) impairment in maintaining safe distance behind a lead vehicle. AR cuing improved the detection of hazardous target objects of low visibility. AR cues did not interfere with detection of nonhazardous secondary objects and did not impair ability to maintain safe distance behind a lead vehicle. SOP capacity did not moderate those effects. AR cues show promise for improving elderly driver safety by increasing hazard detection likelihood without interfering with other driving tasks, such as maintaining safe headway.
Safety Cues Geriatric Assessment Psychomotor Performance Cognition Disorders Humans Female Male Aged Data Display Automobile Driving Principal Component Analysis

Details

Metrics

Logo image