This research brief describes the efforts to address questions on driver perception of and learning methods for advanced driver assistance systems using data from AAA Longitudinal Research on Aging Drivers (AAA LongROAD) studies.
December 2020
Suggested Citation
Automotive technologies and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) have the potential to help older drivers become more confident behind the wheel and extend their safe mobility. However, these technologies vary widely in complexity and scope, and questions remain about drivers’ perceptions and how they learn to use these systems. This brief describes the efforts to address these questions using results from AAA Longitudinal Research on Aging Drivers (AAA LongROAD) studies.
AAA LongROAD studies have examined in-vehicle technologies owned and used by older drivers and have begun to shed some light on this topic (Eby et al., 2018; Zanier et al., 2019). Key findings from these studies include the following:
How aware are older drivers of these systems in their current vehicles?
What is the user acceptance of these technologies among older adults?
How do older drivers learn about system functions and limitations?
How do demographics impact the presence of and learning to use these systems?
This research brief summarizes the results of AAA LongROAD studies on older drivers and in-vehicle technologies. The AAA LongROAD study recruited 2,990 participants, aged 65–79 at baseline, from five health-care locations. Data collected in the AAA LongROAD study includes information obtained from vehicle inspections, participants’ self-reported surveys on the presence and perceptions of in-vehicle technology, and objective data on cognitive functioning obtained from clinical assessments (Li et al., 2017).
Eby, D.W., Molnar, L. J., Zakrajsek, J.S., Ryan, L.H., Zanier, N., St. Louis, R.M., … Yung, R. (2018). Prevalence, attitudes, and knowledge of in-vehicle technologies and vehicle adaptations among older drivers. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 113, 54-62.
Li, G., Eby, D.W., Santos, R., Mielenz, T.J., Molnar, L.J., Strogatz, D., … Pitts, S.I. (2017). Longitudinal Research on Aging Drivers (LongROAD): study design and methods. Injury epidemiology, 4(1), p.22.
Zanier, N., Molnar, L.J., Eby, D.W., Kostyniuk, L.P., Zakrajsek, J.S., Ryan, L.H.,, … Yung, R. (2019) “Improving safe mobility: an assessment of vehicles and technologies among a large cohort of older drivers.” Occupational therapy in health care, 33(1), 1-21.
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