How drivers adapt to drive in driving simulator, and what is the impact of practice scenario on the research?

Adaptation is an important precondition for validity of experiments carried out using a driving simulator. Learning how to control a simulated vehicle imposes mental load on participants, which can potentially distract them from performing the main task and bias the results of experiments. Most researchers have a practice session before the main scenario to ensure participants have adapted. However, the practice scenarios vary greatly both in duration and form. Moreover, in almost all cases, it is difficult to verify that a participant is adapted at the end of the practice session. It was previously shown that using a power curve can mathematically model the learning pattern of subjects to steering and pedal control and can also help identify adapted and non-adapted subjects at the end of practice scenarios. The same concept is implemented in the current study to evaluate the appropriateness of such a methodology for a different practice scenario. The results showed that adaptation time and learning rate did not differ significantly between male and female participants. More importantly, statistical evidence verified that adaptation to a driving simulator is task-independent. The impact of the practice scenario on the main task was also analyzed, leading to the observation that during the experiment scenario participants tend to continue to improve the sub-skills they focused on during the practice scenario. Based on the results of these adaptation sessions, recommendations are provided to improve the quality of design for the practice scenario and to minimize its impact on the experiment scenario.