Simulator Methodologies for Investigating Fatigue and Stress in the Automated Vehicle

This paper, from a special issue on driving simulator applications in research and clinical practice, examines and illustrates the utility of using a driving simulator to investigate relationships between vehicle automation and driver fatigue. The authors outline several criteria that simulator methods should meet in order to establish functional fidelity, so that simulators offer valid measures of subjective fatigue states as well as objective performance changes. The authors review three recent simulator studies all of which investigated the influence that required and optional automation use has on subjective ratings of stress and fatigue, as well as on driver performance. They found that simulators can and do produce a patterned subjective stress and fatigue response, characterized especially by loss of task engagement. These states are similar to those found in real life driving, and reflect similar cognitive stress processes, including threat and challenge appraisals. Moreover, using a simulator may also capture the potentially damaging effects of fatigue on safety, as evidenced by slowed response to an emergency effect following automated driving. The authors focus on the problem of automation use eliciting a state of ‘passive’ fatigue, which can be associated with chronic under-stimulation. And, unfortunately, it appears that voluntary control of automation use does not mitigate against fatigue effects. The authors conclude that there is a need for countermeasures for fatigue in the disengaged, but wakeful, driver, whereby even short durations of monotonous drives elicit negative changes in stress and fatigue.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/18245463
• Supplemental Notes:
  • From a special issue on driving simulator applications in research and clinical practice, from papers presented at the 2009 (Belgium) and 2010 (St. Petersburg, Florida) simulation user conferences.
• Authors:
  • Neubauer, C
  • Matthews, Gerald
  • Saxby, Dyani
  • Langheim, L
• Publication Date: 2010-12

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; Photos; References;
• Pagination: pp 7-18
• Serial:
  • Advances in Transportation Studies
  • Issue Number: Special 2010
  • Publisher: University Roma Tre
  • ISSN: 1824-5463
  • Serial URL: http://www.atsinternationaljournal.com/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Attention; Attention lapses; Automobile drivers; Cognition; Distraction; Driver performance; Driving simulators; Fatigue (Physiological condition); Intelligent vehicles; Stress (Physiology)
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01354161
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Oct 19 2011 12:53PM