Development of Anticipation in Relation to Driving Skill in a Route Learning Experiment

in a Driving Simulator

J. Kalermo, V.-M. Nurkkala, K. Koskela and T. Järvilehto Kajaani University of Applied Sciences, Kajaani, Finland

The sixth International Conference on Driver Behaviour and Training Helsinki 19.-20.8.2013

Background

• A larger study using a driving simulator, in which we studied – Relation between learning and driving

behaviour in terms of development of anticipation

– Driving behaviour in unexpected driving situations

Hypothesis: Driving behaviour is different when the

driving route is unfamiliar in comparison to the situation in which the driving a route is

known, i.e. when the route is well-mastered

Research questions

• What happens in driving behaviour when an unknown route becomes known?

• Can differences between experienced and inexperienced drivers be found in their anticipatory processes?

Subjects

• 22 male subjects (Ss) participated in the experiments – 16 policemen – 6 university students

• The results of the study consist of the data from seven Ss, divided in two groups 1) inexperienced drivers (university students, N=3, age 21–

34 years, driving license max three years, mileage 0-4000 km/year)

2) experienced drivers (policemen, N=4, age 33–51 years, driving license 6–32 years, mileage 15000–55000 km/year)

Methods (1/2)

• The task of the subject was to navigate and learn the shortest route through an unknown virtual city – The S had a limit of five minutes in trying to find the route,

after which the trial was stopped – After each trial, the S got feedback of his driving task and

another trial began

• When the shortest route was found, the subject repeated it two more times

Methods (2/2)

• The changes in driving behaviour were examined by looking at temporal changes between the trials in – driving speed – the starting moment of loosening the throttle, braking and

steering – changes in EMG activity and heart rate

• The data from each S was divided for the examination of the development of the anticipatory processes in two sections 1) driving the unfamiliar route (the first and the second trial) 2) driving the known route (the last two drives)

Situations

2

3

4

5

6

EMG activation starts (M. Tibialis Anterior activates)

Braking starts

Loosening throttle starts

EMG activation starts (M. Gastrognemius)

Steering starts

Braking delay

Throttle delay

Steering delay EMG activation starts (M. Deltoideus)

Zero point

Example of data (telemetry & EMG)

Application: Spike2 5.20

Braking

Gastrocnemius activation

Results: Changes in driving parameters

(brake, throttle, steering)

…and does experience play any role in these changes?

Results – braking delay Zero point

Braking is started appr. 0,5 s. later when the route is

known

(s)

Results – braking delay Zero point

Experienced drivers start braking later than

inexperienced drivers, however the effect of learning seems to be

similar for both groups

(s)

Results – throttle delay Zero point

Loosening the throttle is started appr. 0,5 s. later

when the route is known

(s)

Results – throttle delay Zero point

No marked differences between inexperienced and experienced drivers

can be seen

(s)

Results – steering delay

Zero point

Steering is started appr. 0,5 s earlier when the

route is known

(s)

Results – steering delay

Zero point

The experienced drivers started the steering action

appr. 1 s. earlier when they drove a known route in comparison to driving

an unknown route.

(s)

Results in EMG activation in relation to driving activity

M. Tibialis anterior – throttle interval Zero point

Tibialis – throttle interval is appr. 1,2 s. longer when

the route is known

(s)

M. Tibialis anterior – throttle interval Zero point

Tibialis – throttle interval is nearly 2,5 s. longer in the

case of experienced drivers when the route has become

known.

(s)

Average heart rates

Drive nr. S6 S13 S16 S19 S21 S22 S23 1 68 115 N/A 79 94 89 101 2 70 120 N/A 81 97 87 97 3 67 104 N/A 76 90 86 97 4 66 115 N/A 75 90 87 97 5 68 96 N/A 75 86 94 6 68 N/A 74 87 95 7 N/A 75 87 8 88

The average heart rates of the different drives are slightly lower when the route has become known. The change is biggest with S13 (115 96) and S23 (101 88).

experienced experienced experienced inexperienced inexperienced inexperienced experienced

Summary

• Based on the results, some indications of development of anticipation can be seen – Braking, loosening the throttle as well as steering

action moved closer to ”zero point” (=earlier) when the route became known

– In EMG activation, similar differences were seen • Not much difference between inexperienced and

experienced drivers was found in this study – Only in tibialis-throttle interval we could see

indications of development of anticipation in experienced drivers

THANK YOU!