A driving simulator using microprocessors

An inexpensive driving simulation system with sufficient fidelity has been developed. The system produces motion cues of four degrees of freedom, visual and auditory cues, and control feel on the steering wheel. This paper describes the features of this newly developed system and gives examples that demonstrate its effectiveness. The motion cues provided in this system are yaw, heave, and lateral and fore/ aft accelerations. The lateral and fore/ aft accelerations are simulated by tilting the simulator compartment. A computer processed road image is given through a crt monitor. The restoring torque of the steering wheel is produced by an electrical servosystem via a coil spring. Cruising sound is given in order to improve speed perception. Since the system uses digital computers, the vehicle characteristics are altered easily by merely rewriting the software. This allows simulation of special vehicle dynamics such as front and rear wheel steering (a).