The next phase of the PAsCAL project will be conducted on driving simulators at RED’s Training Center which is located within the Donington Park Race Circuit complex in the East Midlands, and we need learner driver volunteers to participate in this research.
As a RED learner driver , you are invited to attend a driving simulator research session on the following dates:
We are looking for a range of learner drivers with a mix of age, gender and driving experience, so please apply even if you only have had a few hours of driving lessons. The amount of driving experience and the current standard of your driving is unimportant, as your driving ability will not be individually assessed or evaluated.
We do however require that you are accompanied to this research with a friend, parent or guardian who would be also be willing to participate in the driving simulation alongside you.
Unfortunately, your accompanying driver cannot be a driving instructor or any other form of professional driver.
The research involves a driving simulation exercise taking no longer than 90 minutes for you and your accompanying driver to complete.
Refreshments will be provided, and as way of thanks for your participation, both you and your accompanying driver will be invited to experience our skid control training course. This training course is optional to attend, but is guaranteed to add a little excitement to the day, as well as giving you both some really important and additional driving skills training!
If you take up the option of this skid-pan experience, the total time spent at the venue will be around four hours and, as you would expect, all activities will be conducted in a covid-safe manner.
If you would like to take part and help shape the future please apply using the form below, and we’ll be in contact to arrange a slot for you to attend and provide all the information required to make this an interesting, safe and fun day. Thank you very much for your support and cooperation.
Yes, the research is being conducted across the following 4 weekends in September:
Both morning and afternoon sessions are planned on both Saturdays and Sundays.
Once we receive your application, you will be emailed with a date and time to attend the venue, along with full joining instructions.
Simply reply to the offer email or contact 01332 810007
We will send you full joining instructions, but briefly a typical session for each participant:
A ‘CAV’ or Connected Autonomous Vehicle is often referred to as a “driverless car” and CAV technology is measured in 5 levels, from no autonomous features all the way through to fully driverless when there would not even be a steering wheel.
The levels of ‘CAV’ covered in this research project require driver interaction throughout a journey, although at times the vehicle may be driving in autonomous mode. The project is particularly interested in how human drivers will interreact with this level of ‘CAV’ technology.
Advanced telematics within the software will measure how you interact with the CAV technology and your reaction times when the system calls you to disengage autonomous driving and resume manual driving. This data along with your survey responses will be used by all the partners in the research project to design new training techniques for future drivers and instructors. No personal data is recorded or shared with anyone else.
To take part is free, however you will need to make your own travel arrangements to & from the site. Light refreshments are also provided.
Following a short safety briefing, you will venture to our skid pan area for a skid car experience based on a hydraulic skid frame built specially for the purpose. You’ll understand about what actually makes a car skid and experience the feeling of loss of car control on ice and water and then, most importantly, you’ll learn how to react quickly to put you back in control!
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