01663027

Component

In this research, a driving simulation experiment with physiological sensors is conducted to test the effect of an increase in workload on driving performance and physiological state in the presence of particular road situations. A secondary cognitive task with multiple levels of difficulty designed to simulate auditory-vocal distraction is added to the primary driving task. Driving performance and physiological indices such as heart rate and skin conductance level are monitored throughout the experiment. Nonparametric statistical tests are used to test the effect of the secondary task on three different road situations frequently encountered in an urban context. It is hypothesized that an increase in workload leads to variations in the driver’s physiology as well as decrement in his/her driving performance. Results of the study showed an effect of the secondary task on the driving performance when the order of presentation of the secondary task is considered, and an operational regulatory behavior is adopted by the driver while performing the additional task and driving at the same time. An increase in the heart rate and skin conductance level clearly demonstrates the increase in workload. However, levels of the task difficulty did not affect the driving performance and the physiological measures.

This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AND30 Standing Committee on Simulation and Measurement of Vehicle and Operator Performance.

18-04770

English

7p

2018

Transportation Research Board 97th Annual Meeting

Digital/other

Figures; References (8) ; Tables

Behavior; Distraction; Driver performance; Physiology; Task analysis; Workload

Highways; Safety and Human Factors

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2018 Paper #18-04770

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Jan 8 2018 11:10AM