Scoping Study for a Realistic Driving Simulator: Final Report.

1. INTRODUCTION

This report documents the results of a study carried out between December 1989 and March 1990 to determine the most suitable equipment to be purchased for building a driving simulator at the Institute for Transport Studies at the University of Leeds. This "scoping study" was intended to accomplish three main tasks:

1. A review of existing facilities both in the UK and elsewhere in Europe to ascertain what has already been achieved and what is the current state of the art.

2. Initial discussions with potential users on desired features to be built in to the simulator.

3. Discussions with equipment suppliers in the light of what was found out in Tasks 1 and 2, so that the appropriate equipment could be specified.

The report documents in subsequent sections the findings of the first two tasks. It then summarizes the conclusions that were reached on the overall simulator design, on the required features of the simulator and on the effort required to develop an operational simulator from the various hardware components. Finally, recommendations are made on the equipment to be purchased in the light of the recommended configuration, the discussion with equipment suppliers under Task 3 and the budget allocated.