Effects of primary task predictability and secondary task modality on lane maintenance. (August 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Özbozdağlı, Seda; Misirlisoy, Mine; Özkan, Türker; Atalay, Nart Bedin
• Is Part Of: Transportation research. Volume 57(2018)
• Page Start: 97
• Page End: 107
• Publication Date: 2018-08
• Subjects: Driving -- Lane maintenance -- Hierarchical control -- Auditory secondary task -- Visuo-spatial secondary task; Automobile drivers -- Psychology -- Periodicals; Automobile driving -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Transportation -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; 629.283019
• DOI: 10.1016/j.trf.2017.10.005
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1369-8478

Abstract

Highlights: Auditory load improved lane maintenance when the driving task was predictable. Auditory load did not affect lane maintenance during unpredictable driving. Visuo-spatial load did not affect staying in the lane in the predictable condition. Visuo-spatial load impaired lane keeping ability in the unpredictable condition. Secondary task modality modulated the effect of experience on lane maintenance. Abstract: The objective of this work was to investigate the effects of auditory and visuo-spatial secondary tasks on variability in lane position in predictable and unpredictable driving conditions. Sixty-six participants drove a simulated vehicle. Predictability was manipulated by adding wind gusts, and the secondary task load by either an auditory task (Experiment 1) or a visuo-spatial task (Experiment 2). Results demonstrated that in the predictable driving condition, lane position variability decreased when auditory secondary task load was given, but it was not affected by visuo-spatial secondary task load. In the unpredictable driving condition; however, while the auditory secondary task load did not affect lane position variability, visuo-spatial secondary task load increased it. The data suggests that the effects of cognitive load on lane maintenance may depend on the type of the secondary task beside predictability of primary task.