Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 23, 2026
Driving Simulation in the Clinic: Testing Visual Exploratory Behavior in Daily Life Activities in Patients with Visual Field Defects
Published on: September 18, 2012
Use and preferences of advanced driver assistance systems by drivers with homonymous visual field loss
Jing Xu1,2, Patrick Baker1, Ava K Bittner3
1Schepens Eye Research Institute of Mass Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA.
Purpose:
To quantify the use of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) among drivers with homonymous visual field loss (HVFL) and examine whether their usage and preferences differed from drivers with normal vision (NV).
Materials And Methods:
Cross-sectional telephone survey of 57 HVFL drivers and 58 age similar NV drivers, examining difficult driving situations, ADAS use and feature preferences.
Results:
HVFL drivers drove a median of 6 days and 63 miles per week, reported greater difficulties than NV drivers, and found vehicle blind spots and pedestrians on the field-loss side most challenging. They owned a median of 4 ADAS, with ownership and usage similar to NV drivers, but more often preferred blind spot warning, lane departure warning/assist, pedestrian warning, and intersection assist. NV drivers prioritised GPS and cruise control, which HVFL drivers considered less helpful for compensating for vision loss. Using a greater number of ADAS by HVFL drivers correlated with more frequent driving and fewer situations avoided.
Conclusions:
Drivers with HVFL preferred ADAS that support driving situations they perceive as difficult due to their field loss. Greater ADAS use was linked to fewer self-imposed driving restrictions, suggesting these technologies may complement existing rehabilitation strategies. Further research should assess real-world impact.
