Perceptions of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems by People with and without Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Abstract

Purpose : Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), including blind spot warning and forward collision warning, are becoming widely available in many new cars. It has been reported that these systems improve the driving safety of elderly and normally sighted drivers. The purpose of this study was to assess exposure to, perceived safety with and interest in using ADAS among older drivers with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Methods : Current drivers aged 60+ years were recruited at four sites (the Ohio State University, University of California, Los Angeles, New England College of Optometry, and Envision Research Institute) to complete a cross-sectional survey about driving habits and use of: forward collision warning, forward collision avoidance, blind spot warning, lane departure warning, rearview camera, cruise control, adaptive cruise control, and GPS. If subjects had a particular ADAS in their vehicle, they completed survey items about frequency of use and improvements in safety associated with the system. If participants did not have a particular ADAS, they completed survey items about knowledge and anticipated benefits.

Results : One hundred twelve participants completed the survey (69 with AMD vs. 43 without, 54% female). Subjects with AMD were older (77±8 years vs. 71±7 years, p<.001), had poorer self-rated vision (64% good to excellent rating vs. 98%), and drove significantly fewer miles per week (55±74 miles vs. 85±64 miles, p=.032) than those without. A majority of participants used cruise control (AMD 54%, non-AMD 72%), rearview camera (AMD 54%, non-AMD 63%), and GPS (AMD 70%, non-AMD 77%). Subjects with AMD believed their safety was improved with use of rearview camera (89%), GPS (72%), and cruise control (54%). Of the less common systems, most drivers with AMD who did not have them believed their safety would be improved by: blind spot warning (83%), forward collision warning (72%), lane departure warning (64%), adaptive cruise control (59%), and forward collision avoidance (57%).

Conclusions : Many drivers with AMD utilize common ADAS, which subjectively improve their road safety. They are inclined to believe a variety of less common ADAS would further improve their driving safety, particularly the use of forward collision warning and blind spot warning. Further work is needed to objectively assess whether road safety actually improves as a result of these systems.

This is a 2021 ARVO Annual Meeting abstract.