title: Age-dependent visual exploration during simulated day- and night driving on a motorway: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Central and peripheral vision is needed for object detection. Previous research has shown that visual target detection is affected by age. In addition, light conditions also influence visual exploration. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of age and different light conditions on visual exploration behavior and on driving performance during simulated driving.
  
  
  METHODS
  A fixed-base simulator with 180 degree field of view was used to simulate a motorway route under daylight and night conditions to test 29 young subjects (25-40 years) and 27 older subjects (65-78 years). Drivers' eye fixations were analyzed and assigned to regions of interests (ROI) such as street, road signs, car ahead, environment, rear view mirror, side mirror left, side mirror right, incoming car, parked car, road repair. In addition, lane-keeping and driving speed were analyzed as a measure of driving performance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Older drivers had longer fixations on the task relevant ROI, but had a lower frequency of checking mirrors when compared to younger drivers. In both age groups, night driving led to a less fixations on the mirror. At the performance level, older drivers showed more variation in driving speed and lane-keeping behavior, which was especially prominent at night. In younger drivers, night driving had no impact on driving speed or lane-keeping behavior.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Older drivers' visual exploration behavior are more fixed on the task relevant ROI, especially at night, when driving performance becomes more heterogeneous than in younger drivers.
authors.affiliation: Gerontechnology and Rehabilitation Group, University of Bern, Murtenstrasse 50, 3010, Bern, Switzerland. prabitha.urwyler@artorg.unibe.ch.
authors.forename: Prabitha
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Urwyler
authors.affiliation: Gerontechnology and Rehabilitation Group, University of Bern, Murtenstrasse 50, 3010, Bern, Switzerland. nicole.gruber@artorg.unibe.ch.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gruber
authors.affiliation: Gerontechnology and Rehabilitation Group, University of Bern, Murtenstrasse 50, 3010, Bern, Switzerland. rene.mueri@insel.ch.|Departments of Neurology and Clinical Research, Perception and Eye Movement Laboratory, University Hospital Inselspital, University of Bern, 3010, Bern, Switzerland. rene.mueri@insel.ch.
authors.forename: René M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Müri
authors.affiliation: Gerontechnology and Rehabilitation Group, University of Bern, Murtenstrasse 50, 3010, Bern, Switzerland. michael.jaeger@artorg.unibe.ch.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jäger
authors.affiliation: Gerontechnology and Rehabilitation Group, University of Bern, Murtenstrasse 50, 3010, Bern, Switzerland. rahel.bieri@artorg.unibe.ch.
authors.forename: Rahel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bieri
authors.affiliation: Gerontechnology and Rehabilitation Group, University of Bern, Murtenstrasse 50, 3010, Bern, Switzerland. thomas.nyffeler@luks.ch.|Departments of Neurology and Clinical Research, Perception and Eye Movement Laboratory, University Hospital Inselspital, University of Bern, 3010, Bern, Switzerland. thomas.nyffeler@luks.ch.|Center of Neurology and Neurorehabilitation, Luzerner Kantonsspital, Spitalstrasse, 6000, Luzern 16, Switzerland. thomas.nyffeler@luks.ch.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nyffeler
authors.affiliation: Gerontechnology and Rehabilitation Group, University of Bern, Murtenstrasse 50, 3010, Bern, Switzerland. urs.mosimann@gef.be.ch.|University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry, University of Bern, Murtenstrasse 21, 3010, Bern, Switzerland. urs.mosimann@gef.be.ch.
authors.forename: Urs P
authors.initials: UP
authors.lastname: Mosimann
authors.affiliation: Gerontechnology and Rehabilitation Group, University of Bern, Murtenstrasse 50, 3010, Bern, Switzerland. tobias.nef@artorg.unibe.ch.|ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research, University of Bern, Murtenstrasse 50, 3010, Bern, Switzerland. tobias.nef@artorg.unibe.ch.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nef
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001334:Automobile Driving; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055254:Night Vision / Q000502:physiology; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*