Changes in driving acceleration pattern variability related to cognitive and physical health

Naturalistic in-car driving informatics provide opportunities to identify links between driving patterns and cognitive and physical health status. The coefficient of variation was used to evaluate acceleration events and detect differences between 171 older adult drivers grouped based on physical and cognitive scores. Older adult drivers with worse physical scores had lower acceleration event variability in velocity and jerk signals for 0 and 70+ km/hr start velocities, 0-30 km/hr change in velocities, 0-30 and 100+ km/hr final velocities, and 70+ degrees changes in heading compared to individuals with higher physical scores. Older adult drivers with worse physical and cognitive scores had greater acceleration event variability compared to individuals with better physical and cognitive scores for 0 km/hr start velocities, straight driving, and 75+ km/hr change in velocities. These findings suggest that worse physical health may limit older adult driver's ability to adapt acceleration patterns when needed and that worse physical and cognitive health may induce unnecessary variability during acceleration events. Further investigation is warranted to examine variability with longitudinal health status changes and deceleration events.