Virtual Reality Driving Simulation for Measuring Driver Behavior and Characteristics

Abstract

This article provides new insights regarding driver behavior, techniques and adaptability. This study has been done because: 1) driving a vehicle is critical and one of the most common daily tasks; 2) simulators are used for the purpose of training and researching driver behavior and characteristics; 3) the article addresses driver experience by involving new virtual reality technologies. A simulator has been used to assist novice drivers to learn how to drive in a very safe environment, and researching and collecting data for researchers has become easier due to this secure and user-friendly environment. The theoretical framework of this driving simulation has been designed by using the Unity3D game engine (5.4.f3 version) and was programmed with the C# programming language. To make the driving environment more realistic we, in addition, utilized the HTC Vive Virtual reality headset which is powered by Steamvr. We used Unity Game Engine to design our scenarios and maps because by doing this we are able to be more flexible with designing. In this study, we asked 10 people ranging from ages 19 - 37 to participate in this experiment. Four Japanese divers and six non-Japanese drivers engaged in this study, some of which do not have a driver’s license in Japan. A few Japanese drivers have a license and car, while others have a license but no car. In order to analyze the results of this experiment we are used MatlabR2016b to analyze the gathered data. The result of this research indicates that individual’s behavior and characteristics such as controlling the speed, remaining calm and relaxed when driving, driving at appropriate speeds depending on changes in road structures and etc. can affect their driving performance.