The Pilot Study of the Hazard Perception Test for Evaluation of the Driver’s Skill Using Virtual Reality

• Main Authors: Tatsunori Sawada, Hiroki Uda, Akira Suzuki, Kounosuke Tomori, Kanta Ohno, Hiroki Iga, Yuho Okita, Yoshio Fujita
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-05-01
• Series: Electronics
• Subjects: virtual reality; head-mounted display; driving; hazard perception; virtual reality sickness
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/10/9/1114

Background: Although various technologies are used to evaluate driving skill, there are some limitations such as the limited range of the monitor and the possible risk of causing cybersickness. The purpose of this study is to investigate differences in the hazard perception and cybersickness experienced between novice and experienced drivers measured in a VR hazard perception test with a head-mounted display (HMD). Methods: The novice (<i>n</i> = 32) and the experienced drivers (<i>n</i> = 36) participated in the hazard perception test through the VR of an HMD. Results: The total number of identified hazards was 1071 in the novice drivers and 1376 in the experienced drivers. Two of the hazards appeared to be only identifiable through the HMD. A chi-square test revealed that experienced drivers were more likely to identify the hazards than the novice drivers (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The novice drivers appeared to identify “hazard prediction of the current behavior of other road users” more than other hazard types, unlike the experienced group. The Simulator Sickness Questionnaire scores indicated no significant difference in the different age or gender groups (<i>p</i> > 0.05). Conclusion: Our results suggest that the VR hazard perception test may be useful for evaluating patients’ driving skills.