Toyota TeenDrive Oculus Rift to Highlight Distracted Driving

At the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, a driving simulator opened the eyes of teens and parents concerning the hazards involved when distracted driving occurs. Known as the Toyota TeenDrive365, the simulator puts participants in the driver's seat of a stationary vehicle made by the manufacturer. The driver is equipped with a virtual reality headset called the Oculus Rift, which allows wearers to become immersed in a virtual world. In this case, the scenario involves a typical city environment complete with buildings, traffic, lights and sounds. The 3-D world also includes vehicle passengers who converse with the driver during the experience.

The simulation requires that the driver safely navigate the busy streets of a generic metropolis. The steering wheel, brake and gas pedals function in connection with the simulation. If at any time the driver loses focus of the surroundings by becoming distracted by activities other than driving, consequences occur in the form of vehicle collisions. The range of distractions implanted into the simulation include passenger comments and requests, radio play, texting or reading texts and traffic light changes.

Distracted Driving Data
According to data received from various government agencies, the number of fatalities occurring in the nation due to distracted driving was more than 3,300 in 2012. At least 10 percent of the drivers under 20 years of age who were involved in fatal collisions admitted to being distracted. More than 25 percent of the drivers involved in fatal accidents caused by distraction were between the ages of 20 and 30. More than 420,000 people suffered injuries in automotive accidents that involved a distracted driver. According to voluntary surveys, more than 650,000 people in the United States admitted to using cell phones, interacted with other electronic devices or performed other non-driving tasks while operating a motor vehicle.

Parental Influence
Though the project is named TeenDrive365, Toyota's goal was additionally to provide parents with an eye-opening experience. The company's Collaborative Safety Research Center performed a study of drivers and discovered that teens commonly adopt driving behaviors and habits by mimicking the actions of their parents. These actions include allowing distractions to interfere with safety. As a result, in addition to the lifelike driving simulator, the project also involves advice, online tools, events and social media sites designed to assist parents in becoming better role models for their teen drivers.

Public Response
Since introducing the Toyota TeenDrive365 project in the fall of 2013, millions have taken advantage of the many online resources or attended local events. More than 10,000 have taken the time to experience the simulation. Nearly 80 percent reported that the unique demonstration made an impact. Drivers of all ages vowed to make a conscious effort to eliminate distracted driving habits. Toyota regularly takes the simulator to various auto shows across the country in an effort to provide enlightening safety education. There is no cost associated with the simulator experience.

TeenDrive365
Brightline Interactive, 360i and the PEERS Foundation developed the simulator and program using Oculus Rift technology. Oculus Rift was designed and created by young gamer and entrepreneur Palmer Luckey in an attempt at making the gaming experience as real as possible. The device consists of headgear having a face shield appearance held in place by rear and top of the head adjustable straps. When initiated, the innovative technology provides the user with a full 100-degree-wide field of view.

Real-time head tracking enables head movements in a 360-degree spatial plane while seeing images having a real world environment. Audio programming also enhances the experience leaving the user with the sense of being completely immersed in a real-life location. Originally manufactured for game developers and gamers, the inexpensive Oculus VR quickly grew in popularity and has since become part of a number of applications.

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