Investigation of Haptic Feedback in the Driver Seat

We explore the impact of tilting the driver's seat according to the relative distance and velocity to objects outside the car using a haptic feedback chair in a driving simulator. We found that drivers perform best when (1) the seat tilts according to relative distance (vs. velocity) to objects outside the car and (2) the seat tilts forward (vs. backward) when the driver gets closer to a car in front of them. We also found that when visually and cognitively distracted, drivers perform better using haptic feedback than without. Our results suggest that adding haptic feedback to the car seat may improve driving safety and enjoyment by enhancing the driving experience