Augmented Information in the Driving Environment: Increasing Pedestrian Safety with Augmented Reality Indicators for Older Adult Drivers in Maine
Published: 2025
Paul D. S. Fink
Raina M. Movalia
Margaret E. Kastelein
Kyle J. James
Richard R. Corey
Nicholas A. Giudice
Publication Name: Augmented Information in the Driving Environment: Increasing Pedestrian Safety with Augmented Reality Indicators for Older Adult Drivers in Maine
Abstract:
This report describes the project activities conducted at 91¸£Àû’s VEMI Lab to address the increasing rate of vehicle-pedestrian collisions within the state of Maine and to improve older adult driving safety. Leveraging VEMI’s experience with virtual reality environments, human-subject research, and the lab’s fully immersive autonomous vehicle simulator, a proof-of-concept, computer vision-assisted augmented reality (CVAR) system was designed and tested by Maine drivers aged 65 and older. This system displays an augmented reality (AR) visual indicator (i.e., CVAR icon) on the simulated vehicle’s windshield whenever a pedestrian is detected in or around the roadway. The goal of this AR icon is to capture the driver’s attention and direct it toward the pedestrian, increasing situational awareness, expediting driving reactions, and helping prevent potentially fatal collisions.
Citation:
Brown, J.R., Fink, P.D.S., Movalia, R.M., Kastelein, M.E., James, K.J., Corey, R.R., & Giudice, N.A. (2025). Augmented information in the driving environment: Increasing pedestrian safety with augmented reality indicators for older adult drivers in Maine. Technical report for the Maine Department of Transportation and U.S. Federal Highway Administration.Â