Games for traffic education: An experimental study of a game-based driving simulator

Abstract

In this article, the authors report on the construction and evaluation of a game-based driving simulator using a real car as a joystick. The simulator is constructed from off-the-shelf hardware and the simulation runs on open-source software. The feasibility of the simulator as a learning tool has been experimentally evaluated. Results are reported from an experimental study of games and traffic safety performed in an advanced gaming environment. During car simulator sessions, the authors collected data about different traffic safety variables, such as speed, headway distance, and lane change behavior, from 70 participants. The data were analyzed to investigate possible individual learning effects and differences between groupings of participants. The experiment shows clear, positive, individual learning effects for all traffic safety variables analyzed. The authors also made a qualitative analysis of the participants’ perception of the simulator as a learning tool. From the results, it is concluded that a game-based simulation can be used to enhance learning in driving education.

The Effect of Concurrent Bandwidth Feedback on Learning the Lane-Keeping Task in a Driving Simulator

“…(yes or no), and (f) "I have good steering skills (for example in cycling or computer games)" (on a 10-point scale from 1 = completely disagree to 10 = completely agree). Earlier research suggested that these items are predictive of lane-keeping performance in a simulator (Backlund, Engström, Johannesson, & Lebram, 2010;De Winter et al, 2006. Of the 60 participants, 13 were female, 23 had started taking driving lessons on the road, 6 had driven in a simulator before, and 31 reported playing video games for more than 1 hr per week.…”

A game-based learning approach to road safety

“…Whilst other examples of electronic games devised around the concept of road safety have been explored in various forms [13,14], Code of Everand sought to be unique through its adoption of a massively multiplayer online (MMO) approach. Gamebased learning was selected as an appropriate vehicle under the hypothesis that a game-based approach would demonstrate particular attraction to groups with higher risk levels, as identified in the previous section.…”

Game interaction state graphs for evaluation of user engagement in explorative and experience-based training games

“…However, it is believed that games can be used to teach almost any subject or skill (Debul, 2006). With this objective, the serious games initiative has taken its path to contribute to and achieve some other defined purpose beyond pure entertainment in a more authentic way (Mitchell & Smith, 2004;Brennecke, 2009;Backlund et al, 2010). Today serious games are used in a number of areas, e.g.…”