Driving Simulator Based Interactive Experiments : Understanding Driver Behavior, Cognition and Technology Uptake under Information and Communication Technologies

Agrawal, Shubham; Song, Dongyoon; Peeta, Srinivas; Benedyk, Irina · 2018 · ROSA P / NEXTRANS Center (U.S.)

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Summary

This study investigates the impact of real-time travel information from Advanced Traveler Information Systems (ATIS) and in-vehicle information systems (IVIS) on driver cognition, behavior, and route choice decisions. While such technologies offer tangible benefits like travel time savings, they also impose cognitive workload and potential safety hazards due to information overload or confusion from multiple sources. The research aims to understand the psychological effects of real-time information—specifically cognitive burden, decisiveness, and emotional relief—and how these factors influence driver compliance and decision-making, addressing a gap in existing literature that often overlooks human cognitive limitations. To address this, the researchers conducted interactive driving simulator experiments using a realistic road network in Indianapolis, Indiana. Participants navigated between freeway and arterial routes at three decision points, responding to varying real-time information scenarios regarding traffic conditions, accidents, and route attributes. The experimental design integrated high-definition cameras and biosensors, including electroencephalography (EEG), electrocardiography (ECG), and eye-tracking devices, to capture physiological data alongside self-reported surveys and micro-level driving performance metrics. Baseline tests established individual cognitive states, while a point-based compensation system ensured realistic driving behavior. The study developed hybrid route choice models that incorporated latent psychological variables derived from survey indicators and quantified cognitive states using physiological data. The findings reveal that stress from information overload or confusion weakens the effectiveness of information in altering route choices. Conversely, drivers with higher cognitive decisiveness—clarity regarding ambient traffic conditions on alternative routes—are more likely to switch to routes with better traffic conditions. Additionally, drivers are more inclined to change routes if they perceive the information as favorable, such as indicating lower expected travel times. The study successfully demonstrated causal relationships between information characteristics, psychological effects, and route choice behavior, validating the use of biosensors to quantify cognitive workload and engagement levels during driving tasks. The significance of this work lies in its holistic approach to modeling driver behavior by explicitly incorporating psychological and physiological factors. The results provide actionable insights for vehicle manufacturers designing IVIS and transportation planners developing information dissemination strategies. By understanding how cognitive workload and psychological states affect decision-making, stakeholders can design systems that reduce cognitive burden and enhance the effectiveness of real-time information provision. The study also highlights the practical merits of using interactive driving simulators for safely controlling variables and analyzing complex human-factor interactions in transportation environments.

Key finding

Information overload or confusion weakens the influence of real-time data on route choice, while higher cognitive decisiveness increases the likelihood of switching to alternative routes with better traffic conditions.

Methodology

simulator

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

Ranked by relevance to this paper. Hover a topic for its definition.

• cognitive capacity variation
• mental demand
• road complexity
• situational awareness
• workload measurement
• in vehicle coaching

Information type

What kind of knowledge this paper contributes, grouped by family — independent of topic (what it is about) and method (how it was studied).

• Empirical Findings: physiological data
• Methodological Resource: tool software
• Theoretical Contribution: theory or model