Experienced CMV Driver Opinions of Advanced Driving Simulator Scenarios

Abstract

There is an increasing interest in providing refresher training for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. Truck driving simulators offer the potential to provide this type of training to CMV drivers in an efficient and effective manner. However, the success of truck simulator-based training depends on drivers’ acceptance of the simulator and scenarios. The present study investigated 48 experienced CMV drivers’ (across three trailer types and two levels of experience) opinion on the realism of 12 emergency maneuvers and 10 extreme conditions in a truck driving simulator. Drivers provided feedback as to the realism of each event in the simulation. Results indicated that, in general, drivers rated the scenarios as realistic as compared to the real-world equivalent situations. There was no pattern of differences between driver experience levels or operation types. These findings have implications for both future simulation-based training programs and future driving scenarios, and suggest that simulation-based refresher training may be accepted by drivers.