Intelligent speed adaptation as an assistive device for drivers with acquired brain injury: A single-case field experiment

Intelligent speed adaptation (ISA) was tested as an assistive device for drivers with an acquired brain injury (ABI). The study was part of the “Pay as You Speed” project (PAYS) and used the same equipment and technology as the main study (Lahrmann et al., in press-a and Lahrmann et al., in press-b). Two drivers with ABI were recruited as subjects and had ISA equipment installed in their private vehicle. Their speed was logged with ISA equipment for a total of 30 weeks of which 12 weeks were with an active ISA user interface (6 weeks = Baseline 1; 12 weeks = ISA period; 12 weeks = Baseline 2). The subjects participated in two semi-structured interviews concerning their strategies for driving with ABI and for driving with ISA. Furthermore, they gave consent to have data from their clinical journals and be a part of the study. The two subjects did not report any instances of being distracted or confused by ISA, and in general they described driving with ISA as relaxed. ISA reduced the percentage of the total distance that was driven with a speed above the speed limit (PDA), but the subjects relapsed to their previous PDA level in Baseline 2. This suggests that ISA is more suited as a permanent assistive device (i.e. cognitive prosthesis) than as a temporary training device. As ABI is associated with a multitude of cognitive deficits, we developed a conceptual framework, which focused on the cognitive parameters that have been shown to relate to speeding behaviour, namely “intention to speed” and “inattention to speeding”. The subjects’ combined status on the two independent parameters made up their “speeding profile”. A comparison of the speeding profiles and the speed logs indicated that ISA in the present study was more efficient in reducing inattention to speeding than affecting intention to speed. This finding suggests that ISA might be more suited for some neuropsychological profiles than for others, and that customisation of ISA for different neuropsychological profiles may be required. However, further studies with more subjects are needed in order to be conclusive on these issues.

► ISA-equipment was used in a controlled field experiment as an assistive device for 2 drivers having retained their driver license after having acquired a brain injury. ► Interview data was combined with speeding data over 30 weeks in an ABA design ► ISA reduced speeding in both subjects without creating any distraction. ► Relapse to speeding after removal of ISA information suggested that ISA may be more suited as a permanent assistive device (a cognitive prosthesis) than as a temporary training device.