What is difficult at intersections? Virtual and real driving

Abstract

One important source of drivers’ errors is a high level of stress which may hinder the perception and processing of relevant information. In a real-driving study the visibility within the traffic situation was shown to be a major factor increasing stress. A driving simulator study with a systematic variation of visibility found that only an obstructed view of possibly dangerous vehicles increases stress. This knowledge can be used for future intersection ADAS specifically designed to reduce stress. The combination of real and virtual driving is ideally suited to systematically analyse factors influencing driving safety with a large validity.