Mobile Older Driver Assessment and Training Simulator (MODATS)

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This project is collaboration between Systems Technology, Inc. (STI) and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (UMass) both with extensive driving simulator experience and research with older drivers. It is proposedto develop an assessment and training system with a simulator to mediate the traffic safety problems of older drivers. The simulation software is well developed and user interfaces can be derived from existing software. Short (micro) driving scenarios willbe developed that minimize the well know side effect of simulator sickness or simulator adaptation syndrome (SAS) while still maintaining training and rehabilitation efficacy. Previous research has shown that short scenarios can still produce effective training while minimizing SAS. The effects of such training have previously been shown to be resistant to extinction with most actively trained drivers maintaining skills for up to two years. Three groups of drivers will be trained with the new scenario