Abstract
Real time driving simulation can be used to address a broad range of research topics in highway and vehicle design, traffic safety, driver training, and human factors and health sciences studies. Effective driving simulation requires real time visual and analytic models of the driving environment of extremely high fidelity and realism in order to achieve generalized results that can be validated against their real-world corollaries. This paper summarizes the results of several studies where actual test tracks and roadways were modeled to be used in operator-in-the-loop simulations. Validation studies support the usefulness of real time simulation in virtual prototyping for vehicle and roadway design and traffic safety tests.