SIMULATOR DRIVES RESEARCH ON ROADWAY SAFETY AND OPERATION

The College of Engineering is home to a new state-of-the-art driving simulator that will allow researchers to explore and understand how people drive under various roadway and environmental conditions. According to transportation engineer Dr. Seri Park, associate professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, “Simulator testing is a key step toward a systemic review and analysis of roadway safety and operation that enables stakeholders to reach an informed decision when designing infrastructure.” The driving simulator will also support a collaborative research effort among faculty from Electrical and Computer Engineering, Psychological and Brain Sciences, and Nursing to investigate the impacts of a driver’s age, underlying health conditions and cognitive level on roadway safety and operation.