Helping Older Drivers continue driving safer for longer
Lead Research Organisation:
Newcastle University
Department Name: Civil Engineering and Geosciences
Abstract
The research explores: what problems older people experience with the ability to continue driving safely as they get older; identifying the technologies that could potentially assist them to continue driving; proof of concept trials; and also the quantification of the social and economic consequences of ceasing to drive.
Following a detailed analysis of the problems encountered two potential systems to assist older drivers have been researched in detail: a Sat Nav which meets the needs of older drivers and; Intelligent Speed Control system to assist older drivers to keep to the speed limit in urban areas.
Following a detailed analysis of the problems encountered two potential systems to assist older drivers have been researched in detail: a Sat Nav which meets the needs of older drivers and; Intelligent Speed Control system to assist older drivers to keep to the speed limit in urban areas.
Planned Impact
The UK is a car-dependant culture, where driving is important in maintaining social mobility representing independent living. For many senior members of the public, no longer being able to drive a car is one of the most devastating experiences associated with growing old. It can mean loss of independence and is often accompanied by decreased life satisfaction and loss of self-esteem and growing social isolation. Due to age-related functional decline in physical, visual and mental abilities, older drivers are more susceptible to distraction and find it more difficult to perform multi-tasking, for example understanding road signs and travel information delivered to them. Meanwhile retirement age in reflection of the changing demographic is expected to increase; however limited policies surrounding this issue with respect to transport in particular have been discussed.
The adoption of ITS technologies has the potential to provide aid and support not just to the ageing population but to society as a whole. While there are multiple applications of ITS to improve mobility and awareness of the public we have targeted the older demographic through the EPSRC funded Social inclusion in the digital economy (SiDE) project.
Through our research and involvement in the project we have identified numerous issues associated with more senior driver behaviour which can be aided and altered with the support of ITS. Our most recent research involved the projection of speed limit information onto a simulated head up display (HUD) inside the drivers' cabin thus allowing them to smoothly maintain the speed limit. Whilst this technology clearly has safety advantages it also helps address the pressing environmental issues faced in this age by reducing fuel consumption.
There are multiple benefits of improving a senior member of society's safety whilst driving a vehicle, specifically elderly people's continuous engagement with society through their improved mobility. The economic benefit is reflected by their contributions to taxes, both income based, through a longer working live and transport based, the cost of insuring, fuelling and maintaining an automotive. It is more difficult to place a financial figure upon the improvement of a person's quality of life, however by helping to keep elderly people active and mobile for longer it is anticipated that the total cost for social health care can be vastly reduced. We are currently quantifying these costs and benefits and have been discussing with the transport Select Committee the possibility of them gathering evidence on older drivers from a driving licence and insurance policy viewpoints.
There will be 50% more over 70's on the road within 20 years - it is a real societal issue. [1] As well as it is a key societal challenge, and if done correctly in an engaging way could have all sorts of level of impact. Insurance companies are particularly interested in exploring whether such systems could be used to lower insurance premiums for the over 65's if they voluntary choose to retrofit certain systems to their vehicle including Intelligent Speed Control (hence Select Committee's interest). Should be noted this involves the 'long list' of systems we identified, not just the two we have research in detail with the older participants to the study. Moreover SAGA are very interested in supporting further the research here and several high level meeting have taken place to explore this and in particular develop a facility of future research in this area.
[1] - http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/research/key-issues-for-the-new-parliament/value-for-money-in-public-services/the-ageing-population/
The adoption of ITS technologies has the potential to provide aid and support not just to the ageing population but to society as a whole. While there are multiple applications of ITS to improve mobility and awareness of the public we have targeted the older demographic through the EPSRC funded Social inclusion in the digital economy (SiDE) project.
Through our research and involvement in the project we have identified numerous issues associated with more senior driver behaviour which can be aided and altered with the support of ITS. Our most recent research involved the projection of speed limit information onto a simulated head up display (HUD) inside the drivers' cabin thus allowing them to smoothly maintain the speed limit. Whilst this technology clearly has safety advantages it also helps address the pressing environmental issues faced in this age by reducing fuel consumption.
There are multiple benefits of improving a senior member of society's safety whilst driving a vehicle, specifically elderly people's continuous engagement with society through their improved mobility. The economic benefit is reflected by their contributions to taxes, both income based, through a longer working live and transport based, the cost of insuring, fuelling and maintaining an automotive. It is more difficult to place a financial figure upon the improvement of a person's quality of life, however by helping to keep elderly people active and mobile for longer it is anticipated that the total cost for social health care can be vastly reduced. We are currently quantifying these costs and benefits and have been discussing with the transport Select Committee the possibility of them gathering evidence on older drivers from a driving licence and insurance policy viewpoints.
There will be 50% more over 70's on the road within 20 years - it is a real societal issue. [1] As well as it is a key societal challenge, and if done correctly in an engaging way could have all sorts of level of impact. Insurance companies are particularly interested in exploring whether such systems could be used to lower insurance premiums for the over 65's if they voluntary choose to retrofit certain systems to their vehicle including Intelligent Speed Control (hence Select Committee's interest). Should be noted this involves the 'long list' of systems we identified, not just the two we have research in detail with the older participants to the study. Moreover SAGA are very interested in supporting further the research here and several high level meeting have taken place to explore this and in particular develop a facility of future research in this area.
[1] - http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/research/key-issues-for-the-new-parliament/value-for-money-in-public-services/the-ageing-population/
Publications
Blythe P
(2015)
Autonomous Vehicles: Some thoughts on Consumer Engagement
Blythe PT
(2019)
Shaping the Future of Mobility
Blythe PT
(2016)
The UK Government's Approach to Connected and Autonomous Vehicles
Blythe PT
(2016)
Evaluation of an Urban Cooperative Mobility Systems
Blythe PT.
(2019)
Future of Mobility and the IoT
Coconea L
(2014)
Real-time tools for situational awareness and emergency management in transport infrastructures
in International Journal of Mobile Network Design and Innovation
Edwards S
(2015)
Technology to support independent travel in the UK
in Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Municipal Engineer
Description | The findings are ongoing. it is essentially to engage with non-academic audiences about the research through the EPSRC 'telling tales of engagement' awards Has now been applied to public transport journies too with major research funding from the Go-Ahead Group and SouthEast trains in 2016 We have led activities across Government to bring together the Industrial Strategy Grand Challenges on Future of Mobility and Ageing Society together to look at issues of Mobility for Older travellers. This is reflected in the FoM Urban Strategy published in 2019 and the FoM Rural Strategy which will be published later in 2020. This is also shaping key aspects of the Spending Review for specific Government Funding but also in shaping UKRI future research programmes in this area. |
Exploitation Route | We have engaged audiences at science festivals and public gatherings. We have engaged the media with several BBC, Sky and ITV national television news reports on our findings. We have engaged school children. Been part of a major BBC documentary. Being adapted to assess older peoples interaction and experience with Public Transport. Funded trials in 2016 Working with the National Centre for Aging on new project which is investigating older drivers and automated road transport systems in 2015/16 Published a technical guide on accessible technologies jointly with IET and ITS UK in 2016. Several self-funded PhD students are helping to take this research forward Have provided thought leadership in the Automated Driving area (with help from professional bodies such as the AA and the IET) Have presented findings to the Parliamentary Transport select committee TWICE in 2014. |
Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy Transport |
URL | http://www.side.ac.uk/inclusive-transport |
Description | Influencing policy through evidence to Transport Select Committee The road safety charity BRAKE used our findings on driver distraction and our laboratory for the launch of their 2013 road safety campaign week in November (research shown on all major news channels included a visit to the BBC breakfast sofa. The work has been extended to measure in-vehicle distraction for the new UK trails on cooperative and automated driving in 2015. In addition utilising the eye tracking and bio belt technology similar trials are taking place in January to March 2016 to follow public transport users on their journeys on SouthEast Trails to assess customer experience and travel 'pinch-points' shaping the Grand Challenges on Future of Mobility and Ageing Society to support and ageing and mobility agenda which is also one of my priorities as Chief Scientific Adviser of Dft |
First Year Of Impact | 2018 |
Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Transport |
Impact Types | Societal Policy & public services |
Description | ATTRI (Accessible Transport Technology Research and Implementation) |
Geographic Reach | North America |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Impact | Participating in US DoT ATTRI programme and with meeting in October 2017 and January 2018 in WASHINGTON to discuss bi-lateral cooperation at Government level. Also in discussion with EPSRC and British Embassy in Washington about hosting a round table on ageing and accessibility at Washington Embassy in 2018 |
Description | Ageing Society Grand Challenge - working to develop common offering with Future of Mobility Grand Challenge |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
Impact | Been leading work across Government on policy work and spending round funding on mobility and an ageing society - by bringing together the grand challenges on Future Mobility and ageing society. Very high levels - includes Ministerial buy-in |
Description | Chief Scientific Advisor, Department for Transport |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
Impact | I have been appointed Chief Scientific Advisor for Department of Transport (June 2015 - June 2018). This is a split role (60% DfT and 40% Newcastle University). As part of my CSA manifesto I am ensuring the most impactful way to bring the research areas I am interested in (funded by EPSRC) to support and inform the DfT challenges, particularly: Older Drivers Electric Vehicles ITS and human machine interaction Automated and cooperative systems |
URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/government-office-for-science/groups/chief-scientific-ad... |
Description | DfT Science Plan 2021 |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or Improved professional practice |
Impact | The DfT Science Plan sets the vision for research, development, engineering, innovation, and natural, social and behavioural sciences in the Department for Transport (DfT) (the term 'science' will be used as shorthand to cover all these activities). Placing science at the heart of DfT decision-making, it sets out our future ambition for the role of science in DfT strategy, policy and delivery. It highlights the role DfT is playing in the Government's ambitious vision for science and outlines how DfT will provide leadership and coordination across the transport R&D landscape, so we can realise the unique opportunities science brings and address the challenges we face together. There is ongoing rapid change in the transport system, driven by technological development, changes in user expectations and behaviours, demographic change, and new business models that respond to and exploit the potential that data can offer (see Future of Mobility and the forthcoming Transport Data Strategy). Alongside these ongoing changes are three generation-defining events which require urgent action. First, the UK's exit from the EU, which gives us greater freedom and control to define our strengths on the world's stage. Second, a global pandemic which is changing how we live, work, and travel, the choices available to us, and public attitudes and behaviours towards travel. Third, the imperative for urgent climate action to tackle climate change and reduce the environmental impacts of transport as quickly as possible. All three events present a set of circumstances that offer new opportunities and require new ways of working across Government and the wider transport sector. It will not be possible to successfully navigate these challenges without a strong science system aligned with DfT's priorities. In this context the UK Government has committed to significant investment in R&D: increasing spend to £22 billion by 2024/25 and spending 2.4% of GDP on R&D by 2027. This is the foundation on which we will cement the UK's position as a 'science superpower'. This Science Plan sets out for the transport R&D community how DfT will work in partnership with them to deliver against these ambitions. While financial investment will be critical to enable the scale of science and innovation necessary to meet these challenges and sustain long-term investment and growth, it is not sufficient to drive the changes we need. This Science Plan sets out how DfT will continue to strengthen our People, Partnerships and Purpose, to support the development and delivery of the UK transport system of the future, both within DfT and across the whole transport sector. |
URL | https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1009... |
Description | Evidence Research Strategies |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
Description | Future of Mobility and Ageing |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
Impact | Working with different Government Departments and International partners (including US Department of Transportation and MIT Age Lab) to work on international cooperation on aging and mobility as part of the Industrial Strategy Grand Challenges on Future of Mobility and on Ageing Society. |
Description | Grand Challenge on Ageing |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Impact | Leading on the DfT's contribution to the definition of this Grand Challenge from a mobility perspective |
Description | C-ITS: Investigating Infrastructure as a ServiceEPSRC and Seimens |
Amount | £87,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2017 |
End | 09/2021 |
Description | Danger Level Assignment through User Eye Tracking |
Amount | £21,211 (GBP) |
Funding ID | KH164396 |
Organisation | IMRA Europe |
Sector | Private |
Country | France |
Start | 12/2016 |
End | 03/2017 |
Description | Investigating public transport experience |
Amount | £89,358 (GBP) |
Funding ID | RES/0544/7208 |
Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2015 |
End | 03/2016 |
Description | Older Travellers and Technology Engagement |
Amount | £40,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | KH163037 |
Organisation | Department of Transport |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2016 |
End | 03/2017 |
Description | Infrastructure as a Service |
Organisation | Siemens AG |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Joint Doctoral Research |
Collaborator Contribution | Joint Doctoral Research |
Impact | Thesis and training |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Technology to support older persons mobility |
Organisation | Transport Systems Catapult |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Understanding the needs for older persons mobility and exploring the role LCV may play in the future |
Collaborator Contribution | Scoping Research Study |
Impact | Scoping Report |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | BBC TV News Report on Measuring Driver Distraction - BBC BReakfast |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | This is research on the effects of mobile phones on driver distraction. This sued the techniques developed in the SiDE project and applied to this problem area to support the BRAKE charity Road Safety Week. BBC, Sky, CNN and ITV all recorded this - but this is the only one with a remaining URL link |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24982173 |
Description | BBC TV News Report on Newcastles Older Drivers Research |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Based upon the SiDE Project research on technology to help older drivers continue driving for longer |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
URL | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17785033 |
Description | C-ITS and Automated Vehicles: Challenges and Opportunities |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Intelligent and Connected Vehicles (ICV 16), 2016 Chongqing, China: IET September |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | ERTICO - Future Transport Thinktank, Brussels |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Provided keynote at this high profile event on future of mobility and low carbon transport |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | http://ertico.com/tt-highlights/ |
Description | EV innocation research dissemination |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Awareness on EV research innovation in Newcastle. Delegation from British consulate to visit Newcastle. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Enigeering and smart city workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Dissemination and discussion |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Evaluation of an Urban Cooperative Mobility Systems |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Intelligent Transport Systems European Congress. 2016, Glasgow, ERTICO, June |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | GO Science Policy Workshop on Future of Mobilitry |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Bring together cutting-edge academic research, industry expertise and policy making to consider the future transport landscape. Planning a Foresight project on the Future of Mobility by Government Office for Science (GO Science) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016,2017 |
Description | ITS Observatory |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Significant engagement and buy in to the Observatory. Agreement from over 100 authorities to provide input to the Observatory database and a commitment to be users of the ITSO and provide content and feedback on the prototype |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | ITS on your Doorstep |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Awareness of new ITS technologies ane examples as to how they have been used by other local authorities. Newcastle University and city presented EV charging infrastructure and Connected ITS Corridors |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Improving Transport Connectivity Northern way |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Information dissemination and discussion of strategy. Feed into regional transport strategy and funding bids. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Intelligent Transport Systmes to Reduce Energy Consumption |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Reducing Energy in Transport. 2016 Paris: International Energy Agency, May |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Invited Panelist in the Workshop at the 2017 Annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board of National Academies |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Awareness of the challenges regarding the future of grid coonected vehicles Engagement of practitioners in public and private sectors What was the most important impact of the activity? Discussed the potential roles of policymakers, consumers, automakers, electric utilities and industry more broadly. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | https://sustainabletransport.ca/2017/01/31/visions-of-grid-connected-vehicles-what-is-the-goal-and-h... |
Description | Mobility as a Service - the Potential Rewards and Challenges from a UK Perspective |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | 24th Intelligent Transport Systems World Congress, Special Session SIS04: Regulation as an enabler for positive transportation change, Melbourne, Australia |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Newcastle Discover: What will transport look like in 2040? |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Supporters |
Results and Impact | My view on what transport will look like in 2024 and giving examples of what Government are thinking about and what we are doing at Newcastle UNiversity |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP8DpGcxda4 |
Description | Oliver Heidrich presented to MIT, Boston 01 Dec 2016 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | To present results and develop collaborations and raise the profile of LC Transforms |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Round Table with US Department of Transports Research and Innovation Division |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Round table in Washington in October 2017 to discuss cooperation between UK and US on ITS research and also accessible transport research |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Science Innovation Network (UK Foriegn and Commonwealth Office) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Met with the Science Innovation Network teams from all major industries to discuss supporting them in the clean growth, green-tech and decarbonising transport and energy agenda. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Understanding the Potential for Big Data in Making Transport Services Smarter in Cities |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Lecture for Alan Turing Institute, London |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Year of Engineering Stakeholder Committee |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Supported the development of the year of engineering in 2016-2017. This was launched in November 2017 at Westminster with 7 ministers from four Departments present. Initated by DfT on request of Secretary of State. Long list of activities in 2018. Have showcased LC Transform and Ageing research at open events in London and Newcastle plus work with Professional Institutes and others. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | https://www.yearofengineering.gov.uk/about |