User-defined driving-system design concepts for elderly drivers

While the overall rate of driving-related injuries has decreased, driving-related injuries associated with elderly drivers is on the rise. To determine the causes of this trend, we researched existing vehicle systems that use different sensors and signals to promote safe driving. We found that although the systems alert drivers to potential collisions and assist them in finding a location easily, they were created by people who rarely use the systems in their daily lives. For the most part, they´re not created by people with driving difficulties caused by health problems, which in turn often afflict the elderly. To address this issue, we analyzed the drawbacks of the current systems and used a focus group of people with body conditions that have declined due to age to discover the problems they encounter while driving. With the focus group, we used diverse research activities (e.g., observation and interview) to demonstrate how new system concepts could be developed for the elderly. Finally, we propose that adequate system concepts for the elderly would improve driving safety and provide a more enjoyable driving environment for this population.