Driving Comparisons Between Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Typical Development

Area of Science:

• Neurodevelopmental Disorders
• Human Factors and Ergonomics
• Traffic Safety and Psychology

Background:

• Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with driving hesitancy due to safety concerns.
• Limited research exists on simulated driving performance in young adults with ASD.
• Understanding driving challenges can inform targeted interventions and support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare simulated driving performance between young adults with ASD and typically developing (TD) peers.
• To examine how driving experience (none, permit, licensed) influences performance in both groups.
• To assess performance across varying levels of driving environment complexity.

Main Methods:

• Fifty young adults with ASD and 50 TD peers (ages 16-26) participated.
• A virtual-reality driving simulator assessed performance in complex environments.
• Multilevel linear modeling analyzed speed and lane variability by diagnostic group and experience.

Main Results:

• Individuals with ASD exhibited greater speed and lane variability than controls, even in low-demand scenarios.
• Driving experience moderated group differences: licensed drivers with ASD performed similarly to TD licensed drivers.
• Unlicensed drivers with ASD showed more significant speed and lane management difficulties compared to TD unlicensed drivers.

Conclusions:

• Young adults with ASD may face initial challenges in basic driving skills, particularly during early training.
• Driving complexity exacerbates performance differences, highlighting the need for gradual driver training.
• Future research should explore driving performance predictors, on-road assessments, and ASD-specific interventions.