Examining the Influence of Decorated Sidewall in Road Tunnels Using FMRI Technology

In long tunnels where the driving environment is boring and monotonous, the speed perception of drivers is usually compromised. Researchers have conducted a host of studies on driving safety in tunnels and found out that the sidewall environment was a significant factor that affected driver behavior inside tunnels. Nonetheless, little is known regarding the mechanism of how the tunnel sidewall impacts the drivers, especially regarding the neural activities. To fill this gap, the authors attempted to examine the influence of the decorated tunnel sidewall on drivers’ brain activity using fMRI. To this end, an experiment was conducted where twelve subjects are recruited. The experiment was conducted using fMRI under two scenarios: the empty sidewall and the decorated sidewall. The driving scene was constructed in 3D MAX and presented by a projector outside the operating room. The results showed that the middle occipital gyrus, superior parietal lobule, superior frontal gyrus, cingulate gyrus, angular and lingual were more activated in tunnels with the decorated sidewall than that with an empty sidewall. These regions are known to be responsible for spatial perception, spatial processing, and visual processing. Therefore, it indicates that the presence of decorated sidewall provides drivers with a better spatial and speed perception and could help reduce accidents associated with speed judgment. The differences between driver groups were also explored, and the finding revealed that the activation levels of superior frontal gyrus and angular are different between male and female drivers.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AND20 Standing Committee on User Information Systems.
• Authors:
  • Chen, Peiyan
  • Chen, Feng
  • Ma, Xiaoxiang
  • Zhang, Lin
  • Pan, Xiaodong
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 97th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2018-1-7 to 2018-1-11
• Date: 2018

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 8p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Attention lapses; Driver performance; Reflective signs; Speed; Traffic control devices; Tunnels; Visual perception
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01660892
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 18-03540
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Feb 22 2018 9:16AM