Assessing the Sensitivity of a VR Driving Simulatorto Single-Day Highway Work Zones

@inproceedings{Pretto2026,
title = {Assessing the Sensitivity of a VR Driving Simulator  to Single-Day Highway Work Zones},
author = {Paolo Pretto and Manuela Prior and Mateo Jukić and Inge Gsellmann and Thorsten Muik and Manfred Rosenberger and Christina Hager and Alexander Maletzky},
editor = {Andras Kemeny and Jean-Rémy Chardonnet and Florent Colombet and Stéphane Espié},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.82157/dsa/2026/17},
isbn = {978-2-9573777-9-4},
year  = {2026},
date = {2026-09-16},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the Driving Simulation Conference 2026 Europe XR},
volume = {11},
pages = {125 - 132},
address = {Antibes, France},
organization = {Driving Simulation Association},
abstract = {Driving simulators provide a controlled platform for studying driver behavior in complex traffic environments, but their usefulness depends on their ability to reproduce measurable responses to variations in demand. This study evaluates the sensitivity of a virtual reality-based driving simulator to experimentally induced changes in driver behavior associated with single-day highway work zones and unexpected hazards. Thirty-five licensed drivers completed three simulated highway conditions in counterbalanced order: baseline driving, a work-zone configuration with a lane closure and reduced speed limit, and a work-zone scenario including unexpected hazards requiring avoidance maneuvers. Driver responses were assessed using a multimodal set of indicators, including vehicle control behavior, gaze-based measures of visual attention, physiological signals, and subjective workload ratings. Results showed systematic changes across conditions. Drivers exhibited reduced lateral variability during navigation of the work-zone environment, indicating compensatory tightening of lane control in response to increased roadway demand. When unexpected hazards were introduced, lateral variability increased and was accompanied by greater gaze dispersion and electrodermal activity, indicating increased task demand and control effort. Together, these findings demonstrate that drivers showed both sustained adaptations 
to work-zone geometry and event-driven responses to unexpected hazards. The results support the use of immersive driving simulation as a tool for experimentally evaluating driver behavior in temporary work-zone scenarios and for testing alternative traffic-control strategies under controlled conditions.},
keywords = {},
}

Download .bib file

TY  - CONF
TI  - Assessing the Sensitivity of a VR Driving Simulator  to Single-Day Highway Work Zones
AU  - Pretto, Paolo
AU  - Prior, Manuela
AU  - Jukić, Mateo
AU  - Gsellmann, Inge
AU  - Muik, Thorsten
AU  - Rosenberger, Manfred
AU  - Hager, Christina
AU  - Maletzky, Alexander
C1  - Antibes, France
C3  - Proceedings of the Driving Simulation Conference 2026 Europe XR
DA  - 2026/09/16
PY  - 2026
SP  - 125 
EP  -  132
LA  - en-US
PB  - Driving Simulation Association
SN  - 978-2-9573777-9-4
L2  - https://proceedings.driving-simulation.org/proceeding/dsc-2026/assessing-the-sensitivity-of-a-vr-driving-simulatorto-single-day-highway-work-zones
ER  - 

Download .ris file