Re-Assessment of Driving Simulators for the Training, Testing and Licensing of Commercial Vehicle Drivers

Pierowicz, John A; Robin, Jerry; Gawron, Valerie J · 2001 · Crossref

DOI: 10.17077/drivingassessment.1073

archive: archived pipeline: cataloged verified

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Summary

This paper presents the interim results of a reassessment of commercially available truck driving simulators, conducted to support the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) upcoming Simulator Validation (“SimVal”) study. The research addresses the question of whether simulation technology is sufficiently mature and capable to supplement the training, testing, and licensing of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. While simulators have been successfully used in military and aviation sectors for decades, their application in commercial trucking required validation. Although a 1996 report concluded that simulators were ready for validation, significant technological breakthroughs in computing power and image generation since then necessitated a re-evaluation of current system functionalities. The study was conducted by Veridian Engineering in collaboration with FMCSA. An expert team of five individuals, possessing expertise in truck driver training, human factors, truck driving, simulation, and experimental design, evaluated candidate simulators, including the Doron VMT-301, Digitran SafeDrive 1000, FAAC Driver Training System, and I*SIM TruckSim. The evaluation utilized a tool developed to align with the FMCSA’s 1999 Research Design for the SimVal program. This design comprises three parts: assessing the forward transfer of training for entry-level drivers, evaluating advanced capabilities such as emergency maneuvers and tire blow-outs, and analyzing participants’ post-training driving records. The expert team conducted on-site “test drives” at manufacturer or customer facilities, spending an average of seven to eight hours per system. They assessed features such as close-quarter maneuvers, replication of highway, city, and mountainous terrain, and hazardous situations, rating functionalities as “Adequate,” “Not Adequate,” or “Not Available.” The findings, which were reviewed and approved by respective vendors, provide an overview of the functional capabilities of the evaluated simulators. The paper notes that these interim assessments serve as a precursor to the final FMCSA report. The primary conclusion is that the SimVal study, scheduled to commence in fiscal year 2002, will establish an empirical basis for comparing simulator technology against conventional training methods. This validation aims to determine how simulation can facilitate and enhance tractor-trailer driver performance, potentially integrating it into the official training, testing, and licensing frameworks for commercial drivers. The reassessment ensures that the validation study is grounded in an accurate understanding of the current technological landscape of truck simulators.

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Topics

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• simulator training transfer
• simulator validity fidelity

Information type

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• Methodological Resource: validation psychometrics, tool software
• Theoretical Contribution: computational model