Effectiveness of ADAS training for young and adult drivers

Misuse of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) has led to fatalities, and training could be a promising countermeasure. Research on ADAS training for young drivers is limited. The current study investigated the effectiveness of a video-based ADAS training for young drivers (aged 18-21) and adult drivers (aged 25-67). The training spent similar time introducing ADAS limitations (situations where ADAS may not work) and drivers' responsibilities (paying constant attention and taking over when needed). Sixty-three participants were recruited (balanced gender and age groups), with 31 receiving training and 32 receiving no training. Participants drove in a simulator using ADAS that controlled vehicle speed and steering. To explore whether training would be beneficial even when a driver monitoring system (DMS) was implemented, all participants had a DMS that alerted them when they had been looking away from the road for more than a few seconds. Glancing behavior, manual interaction with a secondary task, and takeover performance were analyzed. The training was found to have benefits for both age groups (e.g., less time looking at the secondary task, longer minimum gap time), but additional benefits were observed for young drivers (shorter glance duration and fewer long glances to the secondary task). These findings can inform training design and implementation to promote safer use of ADAS. For example, policymakers could consider incorporating ADAS training into early licensing stages (i.e., driver education and knowledge testing) to reach young drivers. The short training videos could also be distributed to consumers through dealerships or media campaigns.