Driving Beyond Just Safety: Investigating Multisensory Stimuli for Enhancing Driver Wellbeing

Abstract

Enhancing in-vehicle experiences can improve driver well-being by balancing vigilance and emotional regulation, and result in better driving performance. This study investigates the effects of multi-sensory stimulation, including light, music, scent, temperature, and vibration, on driver vigilance and mood in a simulated driving environment. Twenty-six participants viewed a monotonous nighttime driving video inside a stationary vehicle, while physiological (heart rate and heart rate variability) and subjective data (alertness and mood) were collected across five time segments: baseline, early and late stimulation, and early and late post-stimulation. During stimulation, participants reported higher alertness and mood, accompanied by decreased heart rate and increased heart rate variability, indicating a state of relaxed alertness. After stimulus removal, both subjective and physiological measures returned to baseline, suggesting a temporary effect. These findings demonstrate that multisensory interventions can enhance driver well-being without causing cognitive overload. Future work should explore long-term, personalized inputs for driver engagement.