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   YORK COMPUTER TECHNOLOGIES

PRODUCT INFORMATION (Drivesim 4.0)
   
    The YORK DRIVING SIMULATOR provides an interactive driving simulator for a personal computer (PC). It allows for ultimate control of the simulation environment, as it is flexible in scene creation, vehicle dynamics, driver feedback, and scenario control. This extended control of programming allows the user to create specific scenes and tasks to be monitored at specified time intervals. Due to the real-time interaction with the driver, the assessment of the simulation is immediate.
   

APPLICATIONS
    The uses of this simulator range from research where it is used as a driving assessment tool that analyzes the driver's performance in various traffic scenarios. The uses of the YORK DRIVING SIMULATOR are numerous.
   

SIMULATION ENVIRONMENT
    The simulation is fully interactive as the driver controls both the speed and the steering, as can be seen in Figure 1.
   

    The simulator has an easy-to-use driving scenario development capability with driver performance measurement options. The driving scene is controlled by user-specified events and tasks as defined in configuration files. This provides nearly unlimited flexibility in specifying driving scenarios and visual scenes without requiring any programming expertise. Events include roadways, signs, interactive traffic, road markings, vehicle speeds, signal timings, scenery, such as trees and guardrails, and various other environmental markers, such as road construction, which can be seen below in Figures 2, 3, and 4. The operator may also choose to alter the colouring, which can then simulate either day, evening, or night.

  Figure 1: Simulator being used by subject
   
   
Figure 2: Heavy Traffic Figure 3: Construction
   
Figure 4: Two-way Traffic
   

DRIVING ENVIRONMENT
    The awareness of the driver may be tested by including interactive traffic and adjacent vehicles that interfere with lane changing. Interacting intelligent traffic may be programmed as to require the driver to steer and brake for avoidance. The specification of lead and opposing vehicles can require the driver to make passing decisions.
   
    The driving environment can also be altered by changing:
  • Visibility
    • The view distance ahead of the driver, Fog and Lighting.
    • Point of view (i.e. car or truck viewing)
  • Type of road
    • Road images left center and right
    • The user can change the road image allowing single or multi lane highway
  • Heads up display
      Simulated car hood or whatever the user wishes to display using lines and bars
  • Vehicle dynamics
    • External switch inputs for real-time interaction with the driver (i.e. secondary tasks)
    • Throttle input
    • Brake input
    • Throttle acceleration and deceleration limits
    • Acceleration
    • Deceleration
    • Braking response
    • Steering response
    • Steering resolution
  • Lighting
      The user can specify the scene lighting allowing day, evening or night driving
  • Sequence
    • Speed signs and zones
    • Specify the order the traffic scenarios are presented and the scenery thet appears along the side of the road.
  • Dual Mode
    • Highway or Urban driving
  • Scenarios
    • The user can define individual traffic scenarios using script commands to control the behavior of traffic vehicles.
    • Lane changes, with or without signals
    • Braking, with or without brake lights
    • Control of speed
    • Surrounding and prevailing traffic
  • Sound
    • Optional sound effects for driving, braking and collision
   

DATA COLLECTION
    Once a simulation has begun, the data is recorded to file in real-time at 0.04 second intervals. This data, which is programmed into the scenario before beginning the simulation, includes:
   
  • Sample time
  • Steering position
  • Brake position
  • Throttle position
  • Lane position measured from the road edge
  • Velocity
  • Acceleration
  • Driver speed
  • Speed limit
  • Collision or off road status
  • Current scenario number, and event number
  • Lead vehicle speed, and brake status
  • Distance to lead vehicle
    Other relevant variables can be recorded during the simulation that the operator can adjust and pre-set.
   

ADVANCED FEATURES
    An external programming interface has been created to allow for user manipulation in real time of the lead vehicle using Visual C++ and the COM (Component Object Model) interface technique. For an advanced user this allows programming exclusive experimental control for a variety of paradigms.
   

INSTALLING THE SOFTWARE AND
PROGRAMMING THE DRIVING SCENARIOS
    The YORK DRIVING SIMULATOR is easily installed and configured with continued support from YCT. The simulation can be configured as required by the user through a Windows® user-interface. Configuration options include vehicle dynamic variations, visual scene variations, and driving controls options. The system operates using a standard computer with a high speed processor, where the PC interface uses a Windows game controller.
   

MINIMUM COMPUTER REQUIRED TO OPERATE THE SIMULATOR
  • Pentium IV 3Ghz or faster with 512mb RAM
  • Large monitor (17") or Projector recommended but not required
  • 128Mb Graphics card or better, OpenGL and DirectX compatible
  • 10Mb hard disk space for program, Variable amount of disk storage space for data collected
  • Optional Sound Card
  • Game Interface (USB or 15Pin)
   
   
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