Optimizing light conditions for safer driving

For many older adults, the confidence to drive is closely tied to independence and quality of life.

Shene Abdalla, a master’s student in Systems Design Engineering (SYDE), is helping to shed light on how nighttime driving environments affect drivers over age 65.

“I was initially interested in energy management and lighting systems, but I realized the human side of the equation was missing,” said Abdalla. “Different demographics experience the same environment in very different ways, and that perspective is critical when designing systems people interact with every day.”

The study used the high-fidelity driving simulator in the Autonomous Vehicle Research and Intelligence Laboratory (AVRIL), a real vehicle positioned in front of a 278-degree cylindrical projection system. Abdalla selected a neighbourhood in north Waterloo and developed a detailed digital twin of the area using drone photography and 3D modelling software.

“A lot of thought went into what the scenario would be, how long it would last and which hazards to include,” said Abdalla. “We designed the simulated route to have a roundabout approach so we could present consistent and repeatable hazard events in a realistic nighttime driving environment, including scenarios involving a cyclist, a pedestrian, a construction worker and a merging vehicle."

The simulated environment was darkened to replicate nighttime conditions, leaving the vehicle’s headlights and the virtual streetlights as the primary sources of visual illumination. The brightness of the streetlights is adjusted across three illumination levels to compare how different lighting conditions affect drivers. The images below show two levels of lighting conditions from the study. 

The study captured physiological data using a wearable device and eye-tracking glasses to monitor visual attention. Simulator-based performance measures and participant feedback were also collected to assess how different lighting conditions influenced driver response, comfort and perceived safety.

The findings showed that participants performed best under a medium level of illumination, which provided the most favourable overall balance for safer driving and driver comfort.

“Many cities use smart lighting systems to adjust to darkness and dim during low traffic periods,” said Abdalla. “These systems often emphasize visibility and energy efficiency, but our findings suggest that driver performance, physiological response and comfort should also be considered when setting nighttime lighting levels.”