Transport and infrastructure firm, Amey, in the UK, is delivering innovative driver safety training to 13,000 of its employees via a virtual reality simulator.
The experience is designed to highlight the dangers of falling asleep at the wheel, as the UK government’s road safety strategy estimates that shift workers are six times more likely to be involved in a fatigue-related road traffic accident.
The simulator was designed in collaboration with VR specialist Holovis and incorporates virtual reality tech into the body of a real car, for a realistic and immersive experience.
Amey’s innovation manager Simon Grundy said:
“Users wear a virtual reality headset with surround audio, special effects and gesture tracked interactivity. At crucial times of the experience, the simulator moves in synch with highly realistic visuals that are accurate 1:1 scale and rendered using real-time media so they behave exactly as they would in the real world. It’s a completely innovative training product”.
Driver risk management co-ordinator Jen Yaxley was impressed when she tried the new simulator for herself.
“It’s made from real vehicle components, with a driver seat and steering wheel so it’s just like sitting in and driving the real thing. It’s not long before you forget you’re in a simulator. Your vision clouds and you encounter various hazards like a fox crossing the road, then it goes black like a long blink.
If you pull into a layby you extend the experience because you are rested. There’s a screen on the outside where people can see what you’re seeing. I think it will be very effective. Statistics across the UK show that fatigue is a contributory factor in one in five incidents. I’m not aware of anything like this in the industry. I believe it will be a huge step forward in driver training”.
