IMPACT OF ADVANCED VEHICLE TECHNOLOGIES ON PERCEPTIONS OF DRIVING COMFORT AMONG OLDER DRIVERS

Abstract

There is a strong emphasis around the world for older drivers to maintain their independent mobility. Although drivers, as they grow older, more often report using self-regulatory strategies, such as not driving at night, on highways, or in bad weather, they continue to have one of the highest crash rates. Advanced Vehicle Technologies (AVTs) have much potential to improve safety, however, little is known about their impact among older drivers who actually own vehicles equipped with these systems. In this pilot study, fifteen participants (aged 50–89; 7 females, 8 males) who drove vehicles with certain AVTs were compared using the Driving Comfort Scales; a valid and reliable measure that tracks perceptions of safety in challenging driving situations. Non-parametric statistical analysis using Average Treatment Effects (ATE) showed that Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC; ATE=0.343, p=.001) and Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) systems (ATE=0.272, p=.033) significantly impacted perceptions of driving comfort during bad weather, such as heavy rain. However, other AVTs such as Lane Departure Warning (LDW; ATE=0.222, p=.113) and Navigation Assistance (NA; ATE=0.158, p=.427) did not reach statistical significance. In terms of manoeuvres, having LDW was found to significantly influence perceptions of comfort in high pressure driving situations, such as being tailgated (ATE=0.382, p