Older drivers make up the fastest growing

segment of the

driving population and are

,

in general, unde

rrepresented in

vehicle crashes due to their self

-

restrictive driving habits.

However, as the baby

-

boomer generation

ages into the

population of older drivers, the presence of in

-

vehicle systems designed to counteract the physical and psychological

changes

of aging could change their habits.

Using a literature review to identify systems, effects of aging, and crash

statistics of older drivers

,

various in

-

vehicle system types were identified and rated for their potential to

mitigate

the effects

of aging

on d

riving performance and behavior

.

Focus groups were then held with two age groups of older drivers (55

-

64

and 65

-

75) to assess their acceptance of four different systems identified by the literature review.

Data from the focus

groups were factored into a fi

nal in

-

vehicle system matrix that rates system types’ benefits to older drivers based on their

generalized

ability to counteract the effects of aging, and older driver

s’

acceptance of them.

In

-

vehicle systems that alert

drivers to potential hazards (

e.g.,

a

forward collision warning system) resulted in the highest safety rating while systems

that facilitated a driver’s ability to control the vehicle (

e.g.,

an a

nti

-

lock braking system) had the lowest safety rating.

Overall, the younger age group

s

of older dr

ivers were more trusting of the various safety systems and felt that drivers their

age would want the various systems

compared to the older age group.

In contrast, the 65

-

75 year olds were less anxious

and less concerned about becoming over

ly

reliant on th

e different systems compared to the 55

-

64 year olds