Driving Simulators: Are they valid test environments for ITS development?

Abstract

Driving simulators are increasingly being used to test the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) that interface_ with the driver in the vehicle. Examples of such technologies include autonomous, on-board-sensors (Huguenin, 1993) which potentially can prevent many of the rear-end crashes that lead to fatalities or serious injuries (Knipling, Mironer, Hendricks, Tijerin, Everson, Allen and Wilson, 1993). A study of the simulator image-factors which affect the detection of rear-end-collisions and, more generally, of motion is described below. The study was undertaken on the University of Massachusetts driving simulator located at the Amherst campus.