Networked driving simulator based on SIGVerse and lane-change analysis according to frequency of driving

Driving includes many social factors, such as interaction with other vehicles. In this study, we attempted to examine the social interactions in driving through developing a novel driver assistance system; this system is intended to aid non-expert drivers in assessing such interactions. We first present a novel networked driving simulator based on SIGVerse which is a software platform for research that adopts a constructive or computational approach. We investigated the differences in driving behaviors when changing lanes, which is a basic type of driving behavior that includes traffic interaction. We employed 30 subjects and each subject took part in tests under four different conditions to examine driving behavior in terms of driving experience. Our results show that frequent drivers achieved smoother lane changes by appropriately controlling the timing of lane changing than drivers who rarely drive or who lack a driving license.