Preventing the risks of monotony related fatigue while driving through gamification

Bier, Lukas; Emele, Michael; Gut, Kaja; Kulenovic, Jasna; Rzany, David; Peter, Max; Abendroth, Bettina · 2019 · Crossref

DOI: 10.1186/s12544-019-0382-4

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Summary

This study investigates whether gamification can mitigate monotony-related fatigue in drivers, a growing concern as vehicle automation reduces the cognitive demand of driving. The authors posit that under-challenged drivers experience passive task-related fatigue, leading to decreased attention and increased accident risk. To address this, the research evaluates an interaction system that introduces playful elements—such as challenges, feedback, and incentives—into the driving task to provide new stimuli without distracting the driver from the road. The methodology involved a driving simulator study with 31 participants who completed three 2.5-hour rides on a monotonous 240 km motorway route designed to induce fatigue. The conditions were: driving alone (baseline), driving with the gamified interaction system, and driving with a human co-driver. The gamification system utilized a head-up display and voice control to present three types of driving games (lane keeping, distance keeping, speed keeping) and quiz questions about the vehicle environment. These interactions occurred in nine sessions, spaced approximately 15 minutes apart. Data collection included psycho-physiological measures (ECG, electrodermal activity, eye tracking), subjective fatigue assessments (Karolinska Sleepiness Scale), and driving performance metrics. The results indicate that the gamified interaction system significantly improved driving safety and performance compared to the solo condition. Specifically, the system prevented the onset of fatigue in a manner similar to the presence of a human co-driver. The gamification elements successfully maintained driver alertness by providing continuous, low-distraction stimuli that required active engagement with the driving task. The study confirms that integrating challenge, performance feedback, social recognition (via scoring), and incentives effectively counters the under-utilization associated with monotonous driving. The significance of this work lies in demonstrating a viable technical countermeasure for monotony-induced fatigue, which is distinct from sleepiness. As automation increases, drivers will face more periods of under-challenge; this research suggests that gamified human-computer interaction can maintain necessary mental strain and attention levels. The findings support the development of in-vehicle systems that actively engage drivers through playful, task-relevant interactions, thereby enhancing safety without requiring the driver to perform secondary tasks that divert attention from the road.

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Topics

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• vigilance
• time on task
• gamification driving
• drowsiness detection algorithms
• truck driver fatigue
• drowsiness

Information type

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• Empirical Findings: physiological data
• Methodological Resource: tool software, validation psychometrics