Proactive vs. reactive car driving: EEG evidence for different driving strategies of older drivers

Karthaus, Melanie; Wascher, Edmund; Getzmann, Stephan · 2018 · Crossref

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0191500

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Summary

This study investigates the cognitive and neurophysiological mechanisms underlying inter-individual variability in driving performance among older adults. While aging is generally associated with declines in sensory, motor, and cognitive functions, many older drivers maintain safe performance, suggesting the use of compensatory strategies. The research aims to identify whether distinct driving strategies—proactive (anticipatory) versus reactive (corrective)—explain this heterogeneity by examining electrophysiological correlates of mental workload and attention. The experiment involved 14 younger drivers (mean age 25.1) and 28 older drivers (mean age 64.6) performing a one-hour monotonous lane-keeping task in a driving simulator. Participants maintained a constant speed while countersteering against unpredictable crosswinds of varying intensities. Electroencephalogram (EEG) data were recorded to analyze oscillatory brain activity in Alpha, Theta, and Beta frequency bands. Based on driving lane variability—a metric for mental workload—the older group was post-hoc divided into low-workload (Old-Low) and high-workload (Old-High) subgroups. Behavioral metrics included driving error (deviation from an ideal path) and driving lane variability (standard deviation of the path). Behavioral results showed no significant differences in driving error among the three groups, indicating comparable lane-keeping accuracy. However, driving lane variability differed significantly: the Old-High group exhibited greater variability than both the Old-Low and Young groups, with differences amplifying under stronger crosswind conditions. EEG analysis revealed distinct neural patterns. The Old-High group displayed higher frontal Theta and posterior Alpha activity compared to the Old-Low group. Additionally, the Old-High group showed a more pronounced decrease in Beta activity with increasing crosswind intensity. In contrast, the Old-Low group showed lower frontal Theta activity than the Young group but did not differ significantly in other measures. The findings suggest that older drivers employ different strategies to maintain performance. The Old-Low group, characterized by stable lane keeping and lower Alpha/Beta activity, likely utilizes a proactive, alert driving strategy involving anticipation and planning. Conversely, the Old-High group, marked by high lane variability and elevated Alpha/Theta activity, appears to rely on a reactive strategy, responding to environmental disturbances rather than anticipating them. This indicates that while overall performance may remain stable, the cognitive resources and neural mechanisms engaged by older drivers vary significantly, with some adopting efficient proactive strategies and others relying on more resource-intensive reactive compensation.

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Topics

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• older drivers
• cognitive capacity variation
• older driver retraining

Information type

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• Empirical Findings: physiological data, behavioral performance data
• Theoretical Contribution: theory or model