Assessment Method Development of Elderly Driving Ability and Application

- Effect of Daily Exercise Habits on Improvement of Driving Ability -

Abstract

To support daily life in which older people can safely go out, there is a pressing need to reduce traffic accidents due to the decrease in the elderly driving ability (especially, cognitive function). This paper presents a system for detecting cognitive decline in the elderly drivers by their driving performances using a driving simulator. Furthermore, it establishes whether daily exercise habits, which are known as square-stepping exercise, have a beneficial effect on improving the elderly driving ability. The result of this past year's experiments shows that the weekly exercise for one year affects the elderly driving ability to drive safely.