Effects of manually entering navigator destinations while driving in a simulator

Abstract

Distraction is regarded as one of the most important sources for traffic accidents, being a contributing factor in about 10-12% of accidents according to traditional crash studies. The use of electronic devices inside the car is a source of driver distraction that has generated a big concern in recent times. One major negative consequence of the in-vehicle use of these devices is a decrease of attention to stimuli in traffic. In order to study the consequences on driving performance, 43 subjects drove the driving simulator SIMUVEG while introducing directions in a navigator. Drivers' capability of keeping longitudinal and lateral control of the vehicle as well as awareness of the road scene was evaluated in this sample of drivers. Analysis of the measures revealed significant reduction of lateral and longitudinal control and of awareness of the visual environment, providing evidence of the negative consequences of interacting with electronic devices while driving.

Mindfulness, inattention and performance in a driving simulator

“…Therefore measures such as reaction to hazards or to conditions that require monitoring, such as changes in the speed limit, would be more sensitive than the ones used here. Including subtasks as part of the test situation, such as responding to a phone call or paying attention to an in‐vehicle information system [22, 23], might be of interest here.…”