Perceived Needs and Preferences for Use of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems by Drivers with and without Age-related Macular Degeneration

Abstract

Purpose : Drivers with Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) may experience difficulties in many driving situations because of their vision loss. Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) have the potential to mitigate these difficulties and maintain driving safety. Using a telephone questionnaire, we identified the driving difficulties and ADAS technology preferences of drivers with and without AMD.

Methods : To date, 19 current drivers with AMD (74±10 y) and 29 drivers without AMD (71±6 y) have participated. They rated their perceived driving difficulty and perceived usefulness of technology support in 15 driving situations under both good (daytime) and reduced visibility conditions. They also rated their preferences for 12 existing ADAS technologies and described their experience using those systems. To provide an understanding of the ADAS systems, we sent each participant a training document with descriptions for all ADAS systems to review before and have available during the interview.

Results : Compared with non-AMD drivers, AMD drivers reported significantly more difficulty (p= .005) and greater usefulness of technology support (p= .03) in all driving situations. Both AMD and non-AMD drivers reported significantly more difficulty (p< .001) and greater technology usefulness (p< .001) in reduced visibility conditions than in the daytime. Greater driving difficulty correlated strongly with greater perceived technology usefulness (r= .91, p< .001). Both groups perceived dealing with other road users in their blind spot, experiencing vision loss from glare, seeing unexpected pedestrians, and driving through unfamiliar areas as the most difficult tasks that would benefit from technology support. AMD drivers listed blind spot warning and pedestrian warning as their most preferred ADAS systems, while non-AMD drivers listed rearview camera and blind spot warning. The majority of AMD drivers preferred to have ADAS technologies provide both information and active intervention, while non-AMD drivers were divided between having just information or both. The perceived benefits of ADAS technologies were high in both groups.

Conclusions : This study highlights differences in technology needs and preferences between AMD and non-AMD drivers which will be used to inform future ADAS development and evaluation tailored for drivers with AMD.

This is a 2021 ARVO Annual Meeting abstract.