Examining Seniors’ Adaptation to Mixed Function Automated Vehicles: Analysis of Naturalistic Driving Data

Liang, Dan; Antin, Jonathan F; Lau, Nathan K; Stulce, Kelly E · 2021 · ROSA P / Safety through Disruption (Safe-D) University Transportation Center (UTC)

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Summary

This study investigates whether Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) benefit the mobility and driving performance of senior drivers (aged 70–79). Motivated by the growing senior population and their increased vulnerability in crashes, the research aims to determine if ADAS can compensate for age-related declines in visual, cognitive, and physical functioning. The study specifically examines how driving with ADAS-equipped vehicles affects seniors' mobility patterns and driving performance, as well as the specific impact of using Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). The researchers analyzed naturalistic driving data from two distinct projects: the Examining Senior Drivers’ Adaptation to Mixed Function Automated Vehicles (SMX) project and the Second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2). The SMX dataset included 18 seniors driving ADAS-equipped vehicles for six weeks, while the SHRP 2 subset included 30 seniors driving conventional, non-ADAS vehicles in a similar geographic region. Mobility was assessed by measuring driving exposure (trips and distance per week) and patterns (nighttime, rush hour, long-distance, and high-speed driving). Driving performance was evaluated using vehicle kinematic data, specifically lateral and longitudinal acceleration and deceleration events, to gauge steering control and speed management. Statistical comparisons included Welch’s t-tests and Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon tests to account for unequal sample sizes. The results indicated no significant differences in mobility between seniors driving conventional vehicles and those driving ADAS-equipped vehicles; ADAS did not alter the frequency, duration, or type of trips taken. However, ADAS significantly influenced driving performance. Seniors driving ADAS-equipped vehicles demonstrated better speed management, evidenced by significantly lower variance in longitudinal acceleration magnitudes. Specifically, using ACC helped reduce the frequency and magnitude of high g-force accelerations. Conversely, seniors exhibited poorer lateral control performance when using ACC, characterized by higher variance in lateral acceleration magnitudes compared to those driving without ACC. This suggests that while ACC aids in longitudinal control, it may lead to less stable steering behavior. The study concludes that ADAS influences senior driving performance in both positive and negative ways. While systems like ACC improve speed management and reduce harsh acceleration, they may compromise lateral control. This is the first study to investigate these effects in real-world traffic environments, highlighting that automation can modify driver-vehicle interactions in ways that differ from design intentions. The findings suggest that while ADAS can support senior independence, the trade-offs in lateral control require further attention to ensure overall safety.

Key finding

Seniors driving ADAS-equipped vehicles showed improved longitudinal control and speed management but exhibited poorer lateral control performance compared to those driving conventional vehicles.

Methodology

naturalistic

Sample size: 48

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

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• older drivers
• pedal misapplication
• exposure measurement
• passenger motion sickness comfort
• speed choice

Information type

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• Empirical Findings: observational prevalence, behavioral performance data
• Methodological Resource: dataset resource