Validity of Mental Workload Measures in a Driving Simulation Environment

Automated in-vehicle systems and related human-machine interfaces can contribute to alleviating the workload of drivers. However, each new functionality can also introduce a new source of workload, due to the need to attend to new tasks and thus requires careful testing before being implemented in v...

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Main Authors: Francesco Galante, Fabrizio Bracco, Carlo Chiorri, Luigi Pariota, Luigi Biggero, Gennaro N. Bifulco
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2018-01-01
Series:Journal of Advanced Transportation
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/5679151
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author Francesco Galante
Fabrizio Bracco
Carlo Chiorri
Luigi Pariota
Luigi Biggero
Gennaro N. Bifulco
author_facet Francesco Galante
Fabrizio Bracco
Carlo Chiorri
Luigi Pariota
Luigi Biggero
Gennaro N. Bifulco
author_sort Francesco Galante
collection DOAJ
description Automated in-vehicle systems and related human-machine interfaces can contribute to alleviating the workload of drivers. However, each new functionality can also introduce a new source of workload, due to the need to attend to new tasks and thus requires careful testing before being implemented in vehicles. Driving simulators have become a viable alternative to on-the-road tests, since they allow optimal experimental control and high safety. However, for each driving simulator to be a useful research tool, for each specific task an adequate correspondence must be established between the behavior in the simulator and the behavior on the road, namely, the simulator absolute and relative validity. In this study we investigated the validity of a driving-simulator-based experimental environment for research on mental workload measures by comparing behavioral and subjective measures of workload of the same large group of participants in a simulated and on-road driving task on the same route. Consistent with previous studies, mixed support was found for both types of validity, although results suggest that allowing more and/or longer familiarization sessions with the simulator may be needed to increase its validity. Simulator sickness also emerged as a critical issue for the generalizability of the results.
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spelling doaj-art-bf5b0a9b8d504cc9b14e1d648c7c94562025-08-20T02:18:58ZengWileyJournal of Advanced Transportation0197-67292042-31952018-01-01201810.1155/2018/56791515679151Validity of Mental Workload Measures in a Driving Simulation EnvironmentFrancesco Galante0Fabrizio Bracco1Carlo Chiorri2Luigi Pariota3Luigi Biggero4Gennaro N. Bifulco5Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, 80125 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Educational Sciences, University of Genoa, 16128 Genoa, ItalyDepartment of Educational Sciences, University of Genoa, 16128 Genoa, ItalyDepartment of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, 80125 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, 80125 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, 80125 Naples, ItalyAutomated in-vehicle systems and related human-machine interfaces can contribute to alleviating the workload of drivers. However, each new functionality can also introduce a new source of workload, due to the need to attend to new tasks and thus requires careful testing before being implemented in vehicles. Driving simulators have become a viable alternative to on-the-road tests, since they allow optimal experimental control and high safety. However, for each driving simulator to be a useful research tool, for each specific task an adequate correspondence must be established between the behavior in the simulator and the behavior on the road, namely, the simulator absolute and relative validity. In this study we investigated the validity of a driving-simulator-based experimental environment for research on mental workload measures by comparing behavioral and subjective measures of workload of the same large group of participants in a simulated and on-road driving task on the same route. Consistent with previous studies, mixed support was found for both types of validity, although results suggest that allowing more and/or longer familiarization sessions with the simulator may be needed to increase its validity. Simulator sickness also emerged as a critical issue for the generalizability of the results.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/5679151
spellingShingle Francesco Galante
Fabrizio Bracco
Carlo Chiorri
Luigi Pariota
Luigi Biggero
Gennaro N. Bifulco
Validity of Mental Workload Measures in a Driving Simulation Environment
Journal of Advanced Transportation
title Validity of Mental Workload Measures in a Driving Simulation Environment
title_full Validity of Mental Workload Measures in a Driving Simulation Environment
title_fullStr Validity of Mental Workload Measures in a Driving Simulation Environment
title_full_unstemmed Validity of Mental Workload Measures in a Driving Simulation Environment
title_short Validity of Mental Workload Measures in a Driving Simulation Environment
title_sort validity of mental workload measures in a driving simulation environment
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/5679151
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