Fatigue in Simulated Car Driving

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Abstract
The aim of this study was to assess the effects of four hours' continuous ‘ driving ’ in a ear simulator on (a) performance (number of steering errors and brake reaction time), (6) subjective fatigue, ( c) pulse rate, respiratory rate, skin resistance and neck muscle tension, ( d) intra-subject correlations between the latter variables and performance over time. An additional aim was to study these psychological and physiological measures when arousal was stimulated by the pairing of an electric shock with steering errors. To control training effects the Ss repeated the experiment twice. The results showed that all subjects had a progressive performance decrement over time in parallel with increased feelings of fatigue. There was also a decrease in pulse rate and respiratory rate. Skin resistance showed continuous increment over time. Covariations over time between performance variables and physiological variables were rather high in most individuals; e.g. for pulse rate with frequency of steering errors, and EJ1G with frequency of steering errors. The expectation of an electric shock in connection with steering errors yielded higher subjective and autonomic arousal, slower performance decrement over time, and also lowered variability, both within and between subjects for all the variables recorded.