IMPAIRMENT OF LANE CHANGE PERFORMANCE DUE TO DISTRACTION : EFFECT OF EXPERIMENTAL CONTEXTS

This paper aims to evaluate the consistency and sensitivity of the Lane Change Test (LCT), which is subject of a proposed ISO standard. The method aims at estimating driving demand while a secondary task is being performed, by measuring performance degradation on a primary driving-like task. An experiment was conducted in two experimental contexts, a driving simulator and a Personal Computer (including pedals and steering wheel), and with two auditory and two visual-manual secondary tasks. Three performance measures were calculated: mean deviation adapted, correct lane change ratio and lane change initiation. The effect of experimental context was significant. The trajectory, measured by adapted mean deviation, was of better quality on the simulator, while lane changes were initiated earlier on the PC. This difference may be explained by the greater immersion of the driver in the driving scene, which led to easier control of the trajectory in the simulator. Conversely, participants initiated quicker responses to signs when using the PC, to the detriment of trajectory control. The LCT was proven to be sensitive enough to evaluate the driving performance impairment due to the simultaneous performance of various secondary tasks.