The Driving Profile of Autistic Drivers and Their Driving Experiences: A Systematic Review

A developmental milestone that both contributes to and facilitates a successful transition into adulthood is the ability to drive. Yet only one in three autistic adolescents successfully obtain a driver's license by age 21 compared to over three-fourths of non-autistic adolescents. Of those who receive their license, there is inconsistency in driving attitudes, experiences and skills. The current study aimed to (1) provide a systematic review of the driving profile of autistic drivers and (2) structurally organize driving performance within a theoretical driving model - Michon's Hierarchical Model of Driving. Following PRISMA guidelines, four databases were systematically searched to identify published articles related to autistic drivers. To be included, all studies met the following inclusion criteria: included autistic sample or people representing or working with autistic individuals, peer-reviewed, published between 2000 and 2021 and contained empirical data reporting on an aspect related to driving or motor vehicle transportation. A systematic search yielded 37 articles that met inclusion criteria. Based on the differential results derived from this review, it appears that autistic drivers are not generally at greater risk of negative driving outcomes; instead, they face unique challenges based on the skills necessary to navigate specific driving contexts. However, due to the inconsistency across results, the actual driving performance in autistic drivers remains unclear. Future research should focus on quantifying these results using an evidenced-based, theoretical framework to identify consistent strengths and challenges in driving performance across autistic drivers.