Skilled in the Videogames, Skilled on the Road? Analysis of racing videogames and comparison between performances of Drivers and Non-Drivers.

The present study explores the way eleven commercial racing-videogames simulate the driving experience, and how drivers and non-drivers interact with them. An expert analysis was conducted in order to rate the simulation and create a benchmark of videogames in terms of road-environment, driving realism, car crashes dynamics and consequences, and emotional impact of the videogames. After having selected two different type of “top-realistic” games, subjects were asked to play them in a laboratory setting, while their driving behavior, arousal activation and facial expressions were recorded. After the gaming experience they were asked to fill a questionnaire about the “driving simulation” recreated by videogames and one about their behavior in the videogames. Results showed that is hard for naïve subjects to differentiate a videogame with a realistic graphic but an unrealistic driving simulation, from a videogame with both a realistic graphic and a realistic driving simulation. They are also aware of what are the risky behaviors on the road, but nonetheless they act the same risky behaviors systematically in the videogames, while enjoying the gaming experience. In a second study a video taken from a videogame with highly realistic graphic simulation, was compared to a video taken from reality. In particular tests were conducted in order to analyze visual exploration of different types of crossroads by experienced drivers and by young non- drivers; in the real driving video and in a corresponding videogame video. Fixation count and fixation length were detected for critical areas of interest, and eye movements were recorded in order to explore the patterns of road exploration and the scanning schemes used by subjects. Representations about driving, and how subjects recalled the road situation after the simulated driving, were also collected. The results showed significant differences between drivers and non-drivers in visual exploration of the road and awareness in detection of salient road interactions; in both the real driving video and in the simulated video. In particular the non-drivers seemed to explore the crossroads in a less focused way, and with a narrow visual field; focusing their gaze at the center of the street for most of the time, not adjusting their attention at different traffic situations. Moreover the crossroads interaction in the videogame video result much poorer than the one taken from reality in terms of elements relevant to driving interaction with road users and pedestrian. It should be questioned how and at what condition a “simplistic” driving simulation could interact with young non-drivers that haven’t yet developed a complex visual strategy to explore the road, in order to optimize their visual attention strategies.