Age differences in behavioral and visual characteristics while driving with narrow road driving assistance system

This study focuses on behavioral and visual characteristics of two age groups when using human interfaces for a narrow road driving assistance system. In the experiment using a motion based driving simulator, six elderly subjects and six young subjects drove in a narrow street and passed between a parked vehicle and telegraph poles. The performances of elderly drivers when driving with basic interface of the narrow road driving assistance system which presented the relation among drivers´ vehicle, obstacles and a recommended route were compared with those of young drivers in terms of driving behaviors and eye movements. Based on the results and the analysis of drivers´ cognitive process when using the narrow road driving assistance system, a new displaying method was proposed and the effects of the proposed interface on the elderly drivers´ behavioral and visual characteristics were investigated.