A Thai Professional Driving Education Center

What is a simulator?

A simulator is a computerized device that allows us to place a student in a situation that resembles real driving. The student controls the commands which are the same as those of a real car. He sees, on a screen, an environment comparable to what he would see if in a real car and were really at the wheel. With the development of the computer-generated image it is now possible to recreate a complete environment (road, indication, vehicles…) which are entirely interactive. The computer recreates an entirely virtual landscape and vehicles within which the student can move with complete freedom.

Our simulator is more that that. It includes specific lessons on how the car works and training for the best driving strategies. It is a step-by-step educational approach that permits the student to experiment with driving techniques in a stress-free and risk free situation. Furthermore, it tests the student’s understanding of what he has learned.

What can a simulator do that driving in a real car can not do?

• It can decrease the anxiety of the student; the training is better than in a real environment, which can sometimes be very stressing.
• It can help to visualize things which one can not see in a real vehicle (operation of the clutch, operation of the breaking or power steering system)
•  Because the driving environment is entirely controlled, it makes it possible to concentrate on one teaching objective at one time
•  It makes it possible to follow a progression established in advance and to evaluate the student  in a methodical way
•  It makes it possible to put the student in dangerous situations that we neither want him to face in reality or situations that do not occur frequently during driving.
•  We can train students in night driving without actually being on the road at night
•  We can increase or decrease traffic density according to the level of experience of the student
•  While simulation can not and should not be used to completely replace driving in a real car, the hours spent on the simulator can reduce the number of hours the student needs to spend in a real car.
•  Saves time and expense for petroleum, oil, vehicle maintenance, and insurance.
•  Using a simulator reduces the risk to both the instructor and the student and avoids of the risk of Accidents with other road users.
•  For certain unpleasant aspects of teaching, like training of commands, acquisition of certain reflexes, the simulator permits the instructor to spend more time on behavioral aspects, attitude and responsibility with respect to other users.
•  The simulator can measure precisely the reaction times of the driver and test his visual acuity.

Why haven’t simulators been used in Thailand before?

The cost of simulation has been very high. Simulators were first used by car companies to experiment with new engineering ideas on their cars. These simulators were very expensive, costing, in some cases, millions of US Dollars. Over the years, as computerization and computer imaging became more common, the idea of low cost computerized vehicle simulation began to be experimented with. The EU study of new teaching methods in 2002 developed the specifications required for low-cost car driving simulation. This study suggested a cost of Euro 38,000 (Baht 1.9 million) as an achievable level for a low to medium cost simulator.

ECA-FAROS Company of Lannion, France, who manufactures simulators for aviation (Boeing, Airbus), supplies aircraft simulators to Thai International Airline. FAROS and Safe Driver Education (a Thai company) cooperated in developing a low cost car-driving simulator that has a menu system and instructions in Thai. They are continuing to modify the program to even more closely duplicate the Thai driving environment. A similar FAROS system is being developed for use by Maruti in India and the British School of Motoring in England.  The Indian driving simulator sells for about Baht 2.3 million in India and the British driving simulator sells for about Baht 2 million in England. In order to make the Thai driving simulator attractive it is scheduled to sell for less than Baht 2 million.

The latest modern driving simulators are not video or arcade games. They are sophisticated educational tools that can be used for teaching, research, and design. They incorporate the reality of computerized visualization and actual automotive equipment. Driving performance characteristics are based on real vehicle performance. Other vehicles in the driving environment are programmed to react the same as real vehicles on real highways. Most importantly car-driving simulator programs are designed to educate the user about his car, his driving strategy, the road transportation system, and his own driving abilities.

Who can use the Thai driving simulator?

Airlines have used simulation for many years to improve air traffic safety by training all personnel involved in flying. Vehicle driving education will benefit greatly from this new method of training. Those who will benefit most will be:

•  Driving Schools teaching novice drivers

•  Private schools, vocational schools and colleges for teaching students the basics of car driving and control

•  Companies for driving refresher training for workers, salesmen, mechanics, and other staff

• Taxi companies and micro bus companies for driver refresher training

•  Government agencies to teach driving to military, police, emergency vehicle personnel

•  Land Transport Department and driver license issuing authorities for training and testing

•  Vehicle manufacturers for training programs and vehicle engineering development projects

•  Universities and research organizations for research in driving safety

•  Hospitals for rehabilitation programs for injured drivers

•  Insurance companies for testing, training or rehabilitation programs

•  Road designers to evaluate new ideas in road safety design