RE-ASSESSMENT OF DRIVING SIMULATORS FOR THE TRAINING, TESTING AND LICENSING OF COMMERCIAL VEHICLE DRIVERS

Simulators have been successfully employed within the military sector and commercial airline industry for over 30 years. Simulation technology may supplement the training, testing, and licensing of commercial motor vehicle drivers if its value can be sufficiently demonstrated. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is planning to conduct a simulation validation ("Sim Val") study in fiscal year 2002 to do just that. In April 1996, FMCSA (while within the Federal Highway Administration) published a research report which discussed the availability and performance of truck driving simulators available at that time. The research indicated that the truck simulators were sufficiently mature to conduct a validation study. Thus the FMCSA developed and published Sim Val Research Design (May 1999). Given breakthroughs in technology in recent years and to gain a better understanding of the functionalities of the truck simulators currently available, FMCSA is conducting a truck simulator reassessment. To help accomplish this work, FMCSA engaged Veridian Engineering. This paper describes the interim results of the reassessment of truck simulators to ascertain their performance and functionalities in support of the FMCSA Sim Val Program.