Examining Senior Drivers’ Attitudes Toward Advanced Driver Assistance Systems After Naturalistic Exposure

Liang, Dan; Lau, Nathan; Baker, Stephanie; Antin, Jonathan F. · 2020 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igaa017

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Summary

This study investigates how significant, naturalistic exposure to Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) influences the attitudes of senior drivers toward these technologies. With the senior driving population projected to grow substantially, ADAS are viewed as potential solutions to mitigate age-related physical and cognitive declines that increase crash risk. However, seniors often exhibit lower technology acceptance rates than younger drivers. Previous research relied heavily on surveys or limited exposure, leaving a gap in understanding how actual, prolonged use affects senior perceptions. This research aims to identify the specific factors that shape seniors’ attitudes after they have driven ADAS-equipped vehicles in their own environments for an extended period. The researchers recruited 18 senior drivers aged 70–79 who had no prior ownership of ADAS-equipped vehicles. Participants drove one of four vehicle models (Audi, Mercedes, Volvo, or Infiniti), each equipped with blind spot alert (BSA), lane alert, lane keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control (ACC), for six weeks in their daily routines. Prior to the driving period, participants underwent a 1.5–3 hour training session covering vehicle features and ADAS limitations. Data collection included pre- and post-exposure questionnaires, weekly phone surveys, and three 90-minute focus groups conducted after the driving period. The focus group transcripts were analyzed using structural topic modeling (STM), an unsupervised text analysis method, to identify prevalent themes and keywords without subjective coding bias. The STM analysis revealed five key topics, ranked by prevalence: safety, confidence concerning ADAS, ADAS functionality, user interface/usability, and non-ADAS-related features. Seniors primarily valued BSA and ACC for their safety and convenience benefits, noting that BSA compensated for limited neck rotation and ACC maintained safe following distances. However, they expressed concerns regarding system limitations, particularly false alerts in construction zones or adverse weather conditions, which undermined trust. Confidence in using ADAS improved with experience and familiarity with the vehicle’s owner’s manual, though some participants found the manuals difficult to read. Usability issues were also prominent, with seniors reporting confusion over control locations and non-intuitive interfaces, leading to requests for more comprehensive, hands-on training. The findings suggest that promoting ADAS adoption among seniors is feasible but requires addressing specific usability and trust barriers. The study concludes that manufacturers and retailers should design more intuitive, senior-friendly user interfaces and provide in-depth training programs alongside clear documentation that explains system limitations. By enhancing the user experience and ensuring seniors understand the boundaries of ADAS capabilities, stakeholders can support the appropriate use of these technologies, thereby improving road safety and mobility for the aging population.

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Topics

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

• older drivers
• adas effectiveness
• older driver retraining

Information type

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• Empirical Findings: self report data