Driving simulator-based training to improve self-rating ability of driving performance in older adults – a pilot study
DOI: 10.1186/s12544-019-0372-6
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Summary
This pilot study investigates whether simulator-based training (SBT) can improve the self-rating accuracy of older drivers, a critical factor for maintaining safe mobility and appropriate self-regulation. While many older adults correctly adjust their driving habits to match declining abilities, others lack insight into their performance, leading to either risky overconfidence or unnecessary restriction of driving. The research aimed to determine if SBT could help drivers better calibrate their self-assessment against expert evaluations and compared the efficacy of two feedback types: corrective feedback (focusing on errors) versus corrective and rewarding feedback (highlighting both errors and correct behaviors). The study involved 21 older drivers (mean age 78.5 years) who participated in three simulator sessions. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two feedback groups. Driving performance was measured using objective penalty scores for errors such as speeding or harsh braking, while self-assessment was gauged by asking participants to rate their performance on a scale of 1 to 5 after each lesson. These self-ratings were compared to ratings provided by an independent expert assessor. The simulator environment included six training lessons with increasing difficulty, covering scenarios like urban traffic lights, pedestrian crossings, and motorway entry. Results indicated that SBT significantly improved the calibration of self-ratings. Initially, participants under-rated their abilities, with a mean deviation of -0.7 from the expert’s rating. By the final session, this deviation shifted to 0.1, indicating that drivers’ self-assessments became much more aligned with expert evaluations. Those with the largest initial deviations showed the greatest improvement. While there was no significant difference in self-rating accuracy between the two feedback groups, the group receiving rewarding feedback demonstrated a significant reduction in penalty scores, suggesting improved actual driving performance. In contrast, the corrective-only group saw an increase in penalty scores. The findings suggest that simulator-based training is an effective tool for helping older adults achieve a more accurate perception of their driving skills, particularly for those who initially underestimate their abilities. Rewarding feedback appears beneficial for enhancing actual driving performance, though it does not further improve self-rating accuracy beyond what the training itself provides. The authors note limitations, including the lack of a control group and high rates of simulator sickness, which prevented 14 potential participants from completing the study. Future research should address simulator comfort issues and further investigate optimal feedback strategies, particularly for drivers who tend to over-rate their abilities.
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| Stage | Outcome | Tool | Model | Prompt | Attempts | Completed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| discover | success | Crossref | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-07 |
| archive | success | canonical_url | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-09 |
| extract | success | pdftotext | — | — | 2 | 2026-06-09 |
| clean | success | clean | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-09 |
| chunk | success | chunk | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-09 |
| embed | success | embed | Qwen/Qwen3-Embedding-8B | — | 1 | 2026-06-09 |
| enrich | success | semantic_scholar | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-09 |
| promote | success | — | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-07 |
| summarize | success | llm | qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant | summ-v5 | 1 | 2026-06-09 |
| tag | success | vector_similarity | — | — | 8 | 2026-06-11 |
| verify | success | — | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-09 |
Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-09; verification: verified.
Topics
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- simulator training transfer
- older driver retraining
- simulator validity fidelity
- older drivers
- decision making risk perception
- in vehicle coaching
Information type
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- Applied Guidance: countermeasure evaluation
- Methodological Resource: validation psychometrics, tool software