The Effects of Age, Spatial Ability, and Navigational Information on Navigational Performance

Wochlnger, K.; Boehm-Davis, D. · 1995 · ROSA P / United States. Joint Program Office for Intelligent Transportation Systems

archive: archived pipeline: cataloged verified

Get this paper ↗ (full text — opens at the source; we link to it, we don't host it)

Summary

This study investigated how age and spatial ability influence navigational performance and the efficacy of different navigational aids, specifically comparing traditional methods with Advanced Traveler Information Systems (ATIS). The research was motivated by the increasing proportion of older drivers in the population and evidence that age-related declines in spatial ability and perceptual speed may impair way-finding skills. Since navigational errors contribute significantly to traffic delays and accidents, the authors sought to determine if simulated in-vehicle turn-by-turn guidance could mitigate these deficits for drivers with varying cognitive capabilities. The researchers conducted a laboratory experiment using a part-task driving simulator with 56 licensed drivers, divided equally into younger (30–45 years) and older (65–75 years) groups, balanced by gender. Participants first completed cognitive tests measuring spatial ability, verbal ability, and perceptual speed, as well as a questionnaire on navigational preferences. They then performed a route-following task using four different aids: text directions, an enlarged paper map, a standard-scale paper map, and a simulated ATIS turn-by-turn display. While navigating, subjects also performed a secondary tracking task to simulate driving workload. Performance was measured by navigational accuracy (incorrect responses) and decision time. The results indicated that older drivers exhibited worse navigational performance than younger drivers, a deficit attributable to their lower spatial ability and slower perceptual speed. Spatial ability was a significant predictor of navigational performance across all conditions. Regarding the aids, the ATIS turn-by-turn display yielded the highest accuracy and lowest decision times for all participants, significantly outperforming text directions, enlarged maps, and standard maps. Crucially, the ATIS display enhanced performance for both older and younger drivers and for those with varying levels of spatial ability, effectively reducing the performance gap between groups. The study found no significant effects of gender on navigational performance. The findings suggest that navigational ability declines with age primarily due to decrements in spatial processing and perceptual speed. However, the study demonstrates that ATIS route guidance systems can effectively compensate for these cognitive limitations. By providing simple, turn-by-turn instructions, ATIS facilitates navigational performance for drivers regardless of age or spatial ability. This implies that such systems have significant potential to improve roadway safety and efficiency, particularly for older drivers who may otherwise struggle with complex map-reading or spatial orientation tasks.

Key finding

A simulated ATIS turn-by-turn display significantly improved navigational accuracy for both older and younger drivers, effectively mitigating the performance deficits associated with lower spatial ability.

Methodology

lab_experiment

Sample size: 56

Provenance

The full processing record for this entry. Every stage of this paper's journey through the pipeline is logged — what ran, with which tool and model, how many attempts it took, and when it last completed. Discovered via bulk_ingest_rosap on 2026-05-23 (6 acquisition events logged).

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

Topics

Ranked by relevance to this paper. Hover a topic for its definition.

• nav systems
• cognitive capacity variation