Advancements in vehicular technology: potential implications for the older driver

Abstract

Recent advancements in vehicular technology have the potential to prevent crashes by alerting drivers to dangers within their environment. For this technology to be effective, its operational demands must be congruent with the diverse visual, cognitive and motor abilities of the driving population, particularly the growing segment of older drivers. This paper reviews research findings pertaining to age-related changes in motor abilities as well as vision, attention, and information processing and their relationship to the safety and utility of in-vehicle telematics for older drivers. Based on this examination, the benefits of incorporating 'universal design' principles and human factors engineering in the development of this technology are discussed.