Distracted Driving Prevention

Augmented reality (AR) is no longer science fiction but science fact. AR is an emerging technology that enhances reality by overlaying the virtual world over the real world, allowing you to see both at the same time.

Distracted driving is the number one cause of fatalities in ages 16 to 29. Smart devices and activities like texting while driving have caused driver fatalities to rise at unprecedented levels.

To stay at the forefront of interactive education and distracted driving prevention, PEERS introduces ARDDES – the country’s first augmented reality distracted driving education simulator.

ARDDES educates drivers about the dangers of distracted driving by using a real vehicle to simulate the driving experience. The ARDDES system does this by placing the virtual world in the windows of the vehicle allowing the driver to drive through a virtual city while seeing the actual interior of the car. This allows drivers to safely experience distractions like texting, checking social media, or using vehicle features like the radio or navigation system while driving.

The Experience

1. Users will get into the driver’s seat of the car and put on an augmented headset allowing them to see a virtual world in all the windows of the vehicle. What is neat about this technology is that users are able to see what is both the real and virtual world at the same time.

2. Next, we have the drivers practice unsafe driving behaviors. These behaviors include looking at their phones, taking photos, sending text messages, etc. While doing these behaviors, the drivers are virtually driving in traffic, coming up on pedestrian stoplights and more. They’re experiencing real scenarios in a virtual world.

We fervently believe that an interactive, hands-on approach is much more effective than lecturing young people on how to drive safely. They experience for themselves how unsafe driving behaviors can lead to unfortunate outcomes.