Driving Simulator Devices and Applications (A Paper in Two Parts)

This paper concerns those devices intended to create for a driver the illusion that he is driving when in actuality he is not. A brief history of driving simulation reveals some activity in the 1930’s and greatly increased interest and efforts during the past five years. Some current devices are described in the fields of: Training, Testing, and Research. Fixed-base and Moving-base systems are discussed in terms of two basic types of simulated motion. Motion-sickness and Validation are considered as they relate to successful design and use of simulators. In part II, the UCLA driving simulation laboratories (fixed-base and moving-base) are described in detail. Various system equations and servo system diagrams are included in appendices along with samples of acceleration measurements made in actual vehicles and the moving-base simulator.