Implication of Driving Disturbance and Road Condition towards Driver’s Performance in Simulated Condition

Driving activities require drivers to control the vehicle while concentrating on the road. Previous studies show environmental factors as well as secondary task while driving are factors that contribute to the occurrence of the road accidents. Secondary task refers to task other than driving activity. In Malaysia, fatigue is the third contributing factor to road accidents, accounting for 15.7%. This fatigue can disturb the focus and performance while driving the car. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of driver physiological measurements in two different sessions; i) driving under disturbances and secondary tasks and (ii) driving without interruption. In this study, electroencephalogram (EEG) is used to record physiological responses in terms of brain wave in different driving conditions. A total of 12 participants participated in this experiment using a car simulation. The findings show that there are differences in physiological responses for both driving sessions. Beta Activity shows higher Event-related power modulation values until the end of the drive. In conclusion, the type of disruption during driving and secondary tasks shows different findings on driver performance. This study can provide references to drivers and safety and road supervision agencies involved in taking into account the driver s physiological effects based on the different driving conditions that affect the safety of road users.