Virtual Reality Vehicle Simulator Phase 1 [supporting datasets]

Lawlor, Orion; Talotta, Ben · 2022 · ROSA P / Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium (PacTrans) (UTC)

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Summary

This document serves as a metadata record and repository description for the "Alaska ATV Simulator for Unity" dataset, which supports the final report titled "Virtual Reality Vehicle Simulator Phase 1." Funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation and preserved by the Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium (PacTrans), the dataset was published in February 2022. The primary objective of the underlying research was to develop a virtual reality simulation environment for All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) to facilitate driver education and training. The work addresses the need for safe, controlled environments where users can practice operating ATVs, leveraging virtual reality technology to replicate real-world driving conditions without the associated physical risks. The methodology involved the creation of a comprehensive simulation asset package using the Unity 19.04 game engine. The dataset comprises source code, asset files, and configuration data necessary to run the simulator. Key components include ultra-high-accuracy Digital Terrain Model mapping data, which ensures realistic environmental representation, and original Blender model files for the ATV and surrounding elements. The technical infrastructure supports multiple virtual reality hardware platforms, as evidenced by configuration files for Oculus, HTC Vive, and Windows Holographic devices. The package includes C# source code for vehicle dynamics and controller inputs, along with various material textures (such as leather, carbon fiber, and tire surfaces) and physics materials to simulate realistic vehicle behavior, including slippery conditions. Additionally, the dataset provides a runnable WebGL version of the simulator and 3D printable hardware files for the VR setup, ensuring accessibility and reproducibility for researchers and educators. The findings presented in this document are structural rather than experimental, detailing the composition and accessibility of the developed simulator. The dataset contains 199 files organized within a single zip collection, including executable files, dynamic-link libraries, and asset bundles. Specific inclusions such as `ControllerVR.cs`, `Vehicle Simulation In Unity.exe`, and various Unity module DLLs confirm the functional completeness of the simulation environment. The presence of terrain layers, navigation meshes, and audio management assets indicates a fully integrated sensory experience designed for immersive training. The document also notes that additional data is available upon request, suggesting further granularity in the simulation parameters or user interaction logs not included in the primary public release. The significance of this work lies in its contribution to transportation safety and driver education through technological innovation. By providing an open-access, detailed dataset for an ATV simulator, the project enables other researchers and institutions to utilize, modify, or build upon the virtual reality training tools. This supports broader efforts in the field of computer and information science applied to transportation, specifically in the development of simulation-based educational interventions. The preservation of the dataset in the Harvard Dataverse repository ensures long-term availability and integrity, facilitating continued research into the efficacy of virtual reality for motor vehicle training and safety assessment.

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-nvidia on 2026-08-07; verification: verified.

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• Methodological Resource: tool software, dataset resource