Guidelines for using high-level driving simulators in user studies - An interview study regarding user performance, experience and ride comfort

Report, 2025

Driving simulators have been extensively applied across various study areas, including user performance, user experience and ride comfort. While existing literature provides insights into the applications of driving simulators across diverse research realms, primarily focusing on the physical capabilities of driving simulators, however, comprehensive assessments of the overall benefits and challenges associated with employing driving simulators in studies regarding user studies have been infrequent. Moreover, previous research has often overlooked the distinctions in methodological approaches between studies utilising driving simulators and those employing real vehicles. Consequently, the purpose here was to undertake an interview study to propose guidelines for using high-level driving simulators in studies regarding user performance, experience, and ride comfort. A total of 14 participants were included, comprising six driving simulator technicians and eight researchers with experience in driving simulator studies. The guidelines outline several advantages that simulators provide, such as improved safety, repeatability, fewer practical constraints, controllability and efficiency. Nevertheless, challenges like space limitations, restricted motion realism, hardware dependence, communication difficulties between researchers and technicians, and time-consuming new scenario development could potentially undermine the feasibility of simulations. Moreover, the guidelines suggest simulation study designs with caution against scenarios involving acceleration, deceleration, extensive lateral manoeuvres, and low-light conditions. Crucial aspects include ethical considerations, task duration, data collection, resource allocation, simulation fidelity and environmental factors. Specific guidelines for user performance, experience and ride comfort underscore the importance of prioritising factors and using relative comparison methods for valid and reliable results.