Driving Simulators as Research Tools in Traffic Psychology

Research driving simulators, as opposed those employed in the development of driver training, are primarily used to facilitate scientific evaluations of driver behaviour. They enjoy many benefits over naturalistic studies using instrumented vehicles with their main advantage being a considerable versatility to configure virtual scenarios that exactly match the requirement of a particular investigation. Environmental conditions can be manipulated such as day/night operation, weather conditions and state of the road surface. The parameters of the driven vehicle can be altered: for example suspension design, tyre construction and steering characteristics can be matched to an existing or prototype vehicle. New and novel road schemes, methods of signage and highway infrastructure can be modelled virtually and evaluated prior to the logistical challenge of modifying large areas of roadway. Furthermore, there is the ethical advantage of an inherently safe environment for the participants of a particular study. This chapter discusses these merits along with the disadvantages of the use of driving simulators in driver behavioural research.