Driving simulation has generally involved an artificial representation of the environment and an interface for the presentation of the simulated environment to human subjects. For at least the better structured part-tasks, the development of a single system capable of simulating both the driver and the environment could eliminate this severe interface problem. The present study is directed toward development of a digital computer program of the information processing type, which simulates the behaviour of the individual driver in interstate highway car-following. Objective measurements and verbal reports were collected in a series of car-following runs on the new york state thruway. A preliminary information processing model was prepared in flow chart form. Quantitative detail was added to the model using data extracted from existing literature and from several experiments conducted on the thruway. Programming and testing of the model is planned.
Abstract