Assessing Stress and Strain while Driving – the Value for Driver Assistance

Abstract

Assessing Stress and Strain while Driving – the Value for Driver Assistance The concepts “stress” and “strain” are distinguished and discussed with regard to advanced driver assistance systems. The approach of two empirical studies (analyses of real driving situations and a questionnaire study) concerned with driving through intersections is pre-sented, which was conducted within the framework of the INVENT initiative. In this study, different aspects of stress were manipulated. The effects on subjective strain, physiology (heart rate) and driving behaviour (driver and vehicle reactions) were measured. It is shown that different levels of stress factors quite accurately predict actual strain while driving. Com-bining the different measures gives an indication of how strain arises and what drivers do to cope. The consequences of these results with regard to advanced driver assistance systems are discussed.