4 Robotic Human–Machine Interface Towards Driving Behavior Improvement for Elderly Drivers

Japan is increasingly becoming an aged society, with more drivers aged 65 years and above. The number of traffic accidents caused by elderly drivers has been increasing, and this has become a social issue. Studies have indicated that a primary reason for this increase is the impact of aging on cognitive, visual, and physical functions. Another reason is the influence of excessive self-confidence on driving skills originating from many years of driving experience. Thus, to ensure driving safety, this study examined a driver agent system that provides driving and feedback support to elderly drivers to encourage them to improve their driving by changing their self-awareness. In this chapter, research on the characteristics of elderly drivers for decreasing traffic accident rates, self-awareness, and the concept of changing the driver agent have been presented. Furthermore, several experiments were conducted. Experiment for a comparison of agent forms (voice, CG character, and robot) revealed that the robot was more noticeable, familiar, and acceptable to both the elderly and nonelderly. Moreover, the experiment for a comparison of agent’s support (driving support, review support, combination use) on driving improvement revealed that each type of support improved driving behavior, and the combination of supports was the most effective. Moreover, the difference in the review support effect between age groups was revealed; the importance of support during driving for the elderly was confirmed. Finally, the experiment for evaluating the agent on the continuous use in daily life revealed that the proposed agent improved the driving behaviors and changed the self-awareness.