The Social Driving Simulator
The virtual world
The Social Driving Simulator (for VR or desktop) places participants in an urban environment in which they follow a course prescribed by a virtual satnav device. While on the road, participants encounter a variety of other vehicles that may be controlled by other users or by the system itself. Those autonomous vehicles possess “personalities” of their own behaviour. Over the course of the experience, participants encounter a variety of situations in which they must predict, trust, and cooperate with the other vehicles on the road.
Research
Preliminary research with the Social Driving Simulator supports the notion that social cognition has a powerful influence on driving behaviour and interactions on the road. Participant personality (e.g., empathy and prosociality) predicts different driving choices. Moreover, changes in the design features of the simulator’s autonomously driven vehicles (e.g., appearance, type of signals) influence participants’ perceptions of the vehicles as safe and/or intelligent.
