VR traffic simulations for enhancing the driving theory for student drivers

This study contributes with an approach for Virtual Reality (VR) designed to enhance driving theory training for student drivers. Three different VR driving scenarios were built in Unity. The VR scenarios aim to closely simulate real-world driving experiences with a primary focus on incorporating elements of motion and orientation. Oculus Quest was used as the head-mounted display (HMD). Unity’s XR interaction toolkit was used to implement the HMD and Controller functionality. An XR Origin was added to the scenes with two XR Controller components. An orb was integrated into the system to guide and highlight where the participants need to pay special attention. The evaluation focused on usability, immersion, and educational effectiveness using items from the System Usability Scale (SUS) and the Igroup Presence Questionnaire (IPQ). Five student drivers participated in the evaluation at a driving school in Denmark. The participants had limited VR experience. The findings revealed positive usability results with a mean SUS score of 77.5. The findings from the IPQ indicated a very high level of presence and spatial presence. However, some students faced challenges with the basic VR instructions. The driving instructors acknowledged the simulator’s potential as a supplementary tool but highlighted areas for improvement, such as more realistic consequences for mistakes and concerns about pixelated graphics. In conclusion, VR can potentially supplement the teaching of driving theory at driving schools.