L-300 Driving Simulation System

he L-300 series multi-position semi-interactive driving simulation system helps to develop and refine basic driving skills in numerous circumstances and in various traffic situations, road conditions and emergencies. Drivers respond to real life simulated judgment, decision making and crash avoidance skills. Using multiple simulator stations, instructors can train and evaluate multiple drivers simultaneously.

The L-300 or the 8-station simulator, as it is known, allows us to train 8 students at one time. We currently use the L-300 as part of our curriculum for all recruit officers during driver training. It allows the instructors to evaluate, as well as help improve students scanning, perception, and threat recognition which in turn improves their reaction time and braking distance, thus minimizing accidents.

The 8 units contain controls and instrumentation similar to late model vehicles. The instructors console has a monitor with a touch screen or mouse control to select functions. The instructor has the ability to monitor the whole group or individual units. The computer in the instructor console collects and interprets the students responses, it also has an anamorphic videodisc based projection system that provides a wide-screen "windshield" view of traffic situations to all students.

The first part of the program consists of testing the students ability to constantly monitor the environment in relation to identifying an alternate path of travel or escape path, demonstrate the ability to look through the threat or conflict in deciding an alternate path of travel to avoid or minimize a crash, demonstrate evasive left or right steering to avoid or minimize a crash, and to demonstrate vehicle control while braking hard to avoid or minimize a crash. Putting the students through 10 exercises using international highway signs such as a bicycle, pedestrian, left or right turn does this. These elements, while static, are displayed on the screen with a slash across them. When they become dynamic, they are uncovered and the student must react accordingly.

The next 10 exercises are crash avoidance scenes where the students are driving in traffic and something in front of the student's vehicle forces them to react, for example, by employing an evasive left or right maneuver or by braking only. Then the instructor explains what commentary driving is and techniques to improve their scanning and perception.

The second part of the program is geared towards increasing driver awareness of the factors that affect stopping distance and by explaining why speed is the most critical factor affecting stopping distance. The students are put through 32 exercises in various scenarios that test reaction distance, action distance, and braking distance that, when combined, make up their total stopping distance.