NADS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA: A TOOL FOR DRIVING SAFETY RESEARCH

Abstract

This paper presents an overview of the National Advanced Driving Simulator (NADS), its design, and core capabilities. The NADS is a high-fidelity driving simulator whose goal is to investigate human-centered issues as they relate to driving safety. Its primary mission is to investigate causes of accidents, with the goal of reducing fatalities on U.S. roadways. The NADS, whose construction has been funded primarily by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), is operated by The University of Iowa on a self-sustaining basis. A key component of the simulator's fidelity is the unique 9-degree-of-freedom motion system that reproduces normal driving accelerations to a degree never before possible. The simulator accommodates full-sized, fully instrumented vehicle cabs driven by research participants and utilizes a 24-foot projection dome, a motorized turntable that rotates ± 330°, a six-legged (hexapod) motion platform that moves about a 64-foot square bay, high-frequency actuators that accurately simulate road surfaces, fifteen high-resolution projectors that provide a 360° field of view with visual images updated 60 frames per second, and a surround sound system. User-friendly software tools enable users to quickly develop virtual environments and program scenarios necessary for research. In-house capabilities complement the NADS, providing a unique tool for highway safety research.