How to design an fMRI-compatible driving simulator: A systematic review

This systematic review provides key considerations for designing a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)-compatible driving simulator.

This study included original articles that utilized simulators with a wheel, pedal, or joystick under an fMRI scanner, searched across databases like Scopus, PubMed, and Embase up to November 2024. The risk of bias in individual studies was apprized using the Joanna Briggs Institute's (JBI) risk of bias tool for quasi-experimental studies.

A total of 22 articles were included, with the United States leading in publications. The studies involved 476 participants, 56% of whom were male, with a mean age of 26.6 years and median 3 years of driving experience. Seventeen studies used pedals, with 11 incorporating both gas and brake pedals. The simulated environment mainly consisted of a 2-lane road with green shoulders on both sides and distractions included white and yellow lines, lights, pedestrians, and moving vehicles. Four studies used a joystick in their driving simulator. Almost all the articles mentioned the imaging settings in detail.

The article discusses key features of fMRI-compatible driving simulators and suggests that future research should consider pedal differences, road and weather conditions, and the impact of hand dominance on driving performance.