Differences in gaze behavior between driving instructors and older adults during viewing of virtual reality driving videos

This study aimed to analyze gaze behavior when viewing real-world driving videos in a virtual reality (VR) environment. A total of 22 driving instructors and 36 older drivers, all with regular driver’s licenses, participated in this study. Participants watched 360° real-world driving videos using a head-mounted display equipped with eye-tracking functionality (FOVE 0). Areas of interest (AOIs), such as traffic signals and side mirrors, were designated within the videos. Gaze behavior was evaluated using indicators such as time to first fixation, dwell time (DT), and revisit count (RC). In many scenarios, older drivers reached the AOIs significantly later, had shorter DT, and lower RC than those of driving instructors. These differences were particularly pronounced during right and left turns and lane changes, suggesting that older drivers may have insufficient recognition of surrounding risks. In addition, older drivers exhibited delays in visual attention, indicating a lack of attention to the surrounding environment. Gaze analysis in a VR environment is a valuable method for safely evaluating the gaze behavior of older drivers. This study revealed important differences in gaze behavior between driving instructors and older drivers. These findings have practical implications for improving the safety of older drivers. By understanding their unique gaze behavior, targeted interventions can be developed to improve the safety of older drivers.

本研究旨在探究受试者于虚拟现实（Virtual Reality, VR）环境中观看真实场景驾驶视频时的注视行为模式。共计22名持有有效机动车驾驶证的驾驶教练员与36名老年驾驶员参与了本次研究。参与者通过搭载眼动追踪（Eye-tracking）功能的头戴式显示器FOVE 0观看360°真实场景驾驶视频。研究人员在视频中划定了交通信号灯、侧后视镜等感兴趣区域（Areas of Interest, AOIs）。本研究采用首次注视时间、停留时长（Dwell Time, DT）与回访次数（Revisit Count, RC）等指标对受试者的注视行为进行量化评估。数据分析结果显示，多数场景下老年驾驶员抵达感兴趣区域的时间显著晚于驾驶教练员，停留时长更短，回访次数也更少。此类差异在左右转弯与变道场景中尤为突出，提示老年驾驶员对周边潜在风险的识别能力存在不足。此外，老年驾驶员的视觉注意力响应存在延迟现象，表明其对周边环境的关注度有待提升。在VR环境中开展注视行为分析，是一种能够安全评估老年驾驶员驾驶注视特征的有效方法。本研究揭示了驾驶教练员与老年驾驶员在注视行为上的重要差异，相关发现对提升老年驾驶员的驾驶安全性具有实际应用价值。通过明确老年驾驶员独特的注视行为特征，可针对性开发干预措施以改善其驾驶安全水平。