A Heterogeneous Traffic Virtual-Reality Simulator to Study Irritation/Anger and Driving Behavior under Adverse Conditions

To analyse driver’s behaviour in heterogeneous chaotic traffic, simulators are important as experimentation in real traffic is dangerous. Simulators using Virtual Reality HMD provide a 360-degree view enabling almost realistic experience. In our research, we focus on studying the driver’s response when forced to follow a slow-moving vehicle with or without lane regulation. We collected self-reports of emotions - anger/frustration. Set as a first-person view through the windshield, a player controls the virtual car in simulated (game engine Unity3D) traffic with a steering wheel fitted with hand operated acceleration and brake hardware controls. Road scenarios similar to a typical Indian condition are replicated and each individual vehicle type is implemented as Artificial Intelligent (AI) bot. These bots interact with the player forcing her/him to react to the emergent situations. The player’s goal is to overtake a very slow-moving vehicle ahead blocking the traffic and the scenarios presented were: a) no-lanes, b) lane change possible only at certain stretches of the road and c) lanes demarcated by solid barricades. Traffic sounds were added for natural effect. Participants with and without real-life driving experience were recruited. The time to reach the finish line was the least in the no-lane condition and the driver was able to manoeuvre through the gaps between vehicles. Designated lane-change stretches required quick responses and speed-prediction skills, in the absence of which collisions were observed and also time to finish was longer. Though lane marking and discipline is promoted for safety, in heterogeneous traffic with vehicles of varying engine capacity, strict lane adherence could lead to massive traffic jams and driver frustration/road rage.

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Author and article information

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Mayank Agrawal

Kavita Vemuri

Conference

Publication date: July 2018

Publication date (Print): July 2018

Pages: 1-5

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[0001]IIIT Hyderabad

Article

DOI: 10.14236/ewic/HCI2018.105

SO-VID: f6388285-b694-4e90-a2dc-2d353293fc63

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Conference name: Proceedings of the 32nd International BCS Human Computer Interaction Conference

Conference acronym: HCI

Conference number: 32

Conference location: Belfast, UK

Conference date: 4 - 6 July 2018

Conference sponsor: Electronic Workshops in Computing (eWiC)

Conference theme: Human Computer Interaction Conference

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1477-9358 BCS Learning & Development

Self URI (article page): https://www.scienceopen.com/hosted-document?doi=10.14236/ewic/HCI2018.105

Self URI (journal page): https://ewic.bcs.org/

References

L. Meuleners, & M. Fraser (2015). A validation study of driving errors using a driving simulator Transportation research part F: traffic psychology and behaviour 29 14–21.
O. Shechtman S. Classen K. Awadzi, & W. Mann (2009). Comparison of driving errors between on-the-road and simulated driving assessment: a validation study Traffic injury prevention 10(4), 379–385.
B. Gunay (2008). A methodology on the automatic recognition of poor lane keeping Journal of advanced transportation 42(2), 129–149.
K. V. R. Ravishankar, & T. V. Mathew (2011). Vehicle-type dependent car-following model for heterogeneous traffic conditions Journal of transportation engineering 137(11), 775–781.
G. Mahapatra, & A. K. Maurya (2013). Study of vehicles lateral movement in non-lane discipline traffic stream on a straight road Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 104, 352–359.
M. Metkari A. Budhkar, & A. K. Maurya (2013). Development of simulation model for heterogeneous traffic with no lane discipline Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 104, 360–369.
C. F. Choudhury, & M. M. Islam (2016). Modelling acceleration decisions in traffic streams with weak lane discipline: A latent leader approach Transportation research part C: emerging technologies, 67, 214–226.
R. Nair H. S. Mahmassani, & E. Miller-Hooks (2011). A porous flow approach to modeling heterogeneous traffic in disordered systems Transportation Research Part B: Methodological 45(9), 1331–1345.
A. Lenorzer J. Casas R. Dinesh M. Zubair N. Sharma V. Dixit, & M. Brackstone (2015 September). Modelling and Simulation of Mixed Traffic In Australasian Transport Research Forum (ATRF) 37th 2015 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
A. K. Maurya (2011). Comprehensive approach for modeling of traffic streams with no lane discipline. In 2nd International Conference on Models and Technologies for Intelligent Transportation Systems.
V. V. Gandla, & M. Santhakumar NON-LANE-BASED MICROSCOPIC MODELLING UNDER HETEROGENEOUS TRAFFIC CONDITIONS.
C. R. Munigety, & T. V. Mathew (2016). Towards Behavioral Modeling of Drivers in Mixed Traffic Conditions Transportation in Developing Economies 2(1), 6.
G. Asaithambi V. Kanagaraj, & T. Toledo (2016). Driving Behaviors: Models and Challenges for Non-Lane Based Mixed Traffic Transportation in Developing Economies 2(2), 19.
J. O. Brooks R. R. Goodenough M. C. Crisler N. D. Klein R. L. Alley B. L. Koon, ... & R. F. Wills (2010). Simulator sickness during driving simulation studies Accident Analysis & Prevention 42(3), 788–796.
E. M. Kolasinski (1995). Simulator Sickness in Virtual Environments (No. ARI-TR-1027) ARMY RESEARCH INST FOR THE BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES ALEXANDRIA VA.
A. Riener (2010 February). Simulating on-the-road behavior using a driving simulator In Advances in Computer-Human Interactions 2010 ACHI'10. Third International Conference on (pp. 25–31). IEEE.

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[1] L. Meuleners, & M. Fraser (2015). A validation study of driving errors using a driving simulator Transportation research part F: traffic psychology and behaviour 29 14–21.

[2] O. Shechtman S. Classen K. Awadzi, & W. Mann (2009). Comparison of driving errors between on-the-road and simulated driving assessment: a validation study Traffic injury prevention 10(4), 379–385.

[3] B. Gunay (2008). A methodology on the automatic recognition of poor lane keeping Journal of advanced transportation 42(2), 129–149.

[4] K. V. R. Ravishankar, & T. V. Mathew (2011). Vehicle-type dependent car-following model for heterogeneous traffic conditions Journal of transportation engineering 137(11), 775–781.

[5] G. Mahapatra, & A. K. Maurya (2013). Study of vehicles lateral movement in non-lane discipline traffic stream on a straight road Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 104, 352–359.

[6] M. Metkari A. Budhkar, & A. K. Maurya (2013). Development of simulation model for heterogeneous traffic with no lane discipline Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 104, 360–369.

[7] C. F. Choudhury, & M. M. Islam (2016). Modelling acceleration decisions in traffic streams with weak lane discipline: A latent leader approach Transportation research part C: emerging technologies, 67, 214–226.

[8] R. Nair H. S. Mahmassani, & E. Miller-Hooks (2011). A porous flow approach to modeling heterogeneous traffic in disordered systems Transportation Research Part B: Methodological 45(9), 1331–1345.

[9] A. Lenorzer J. Casas R. Dinesh M. Zubair N. Sharma V. Dixit, & M. Brackstone (2015 September). Modelling and Simulation of Mixed Traffic In Australasian Transport Research Forum (ATRF) 37th 2015 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

[10] A. K. Maurya (2011). Comprehensive approach for modeling of traffic streams with no lane discipline. In 2nd International Conference on Models and Technologies for Intelligent Transportation Systems.

[11] V. V. Gandla, & M. Santhakumar NON-LANE-BASED MICROSCOPIC MODELLING UNDER HETEROGENEOUS TRAFFIC CONDITIONS.

[12] C. R. Munigety, & T. V. Mathew (2016). Towards Behavioral Modeling of Drivers in Mixed Traffic Conditions Transportation in Developing Economies 2(1), 6.

[13] G. Asaithambi V. Kanagaraj, & T. Toledo (2016). Driving Behaviors: Models and Challenges for Non-Lane Based Mixed Traffic Transportation in Developing Economies 2(2), 19.

[14] J. O. Brooks R. R. Goodenough M. C. Crisler N. D. Klein R. L. Alley B. L. Koon, ... & R. F. Wills (2010). Simulator sickness during driving simulation studies Accident Analysis & Prevention 42(3), 788–796.

[15] E. M. Kolasinski (1995). Simulator Sickness in Virtual Environments (No. ARI-TR-1027) ARMY RESEARCH INST FOR THE BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES ALEXANDRIA VA.

[16] A. Riener (2010 February). Simulating on-the-road behavior using a driving simulator In Advances in Computer-Human Interactions 2010 ACHI'10. Third International Conference on (pp. 25–31). IEEE.

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