Estimation of Older Driver's Cognitive Performance and Workload Using Features of Eye movement and Pupil Response on Test Routes

Abstract

In order to evaluate cognitive performance and the level of task mental workload of older drivers, some features of oculo-motors such as eye movement and pupillary response were extracted during car driving on a public road. The individual cognitive performance of 11 selected older drivers was measured in advance using some conventional tests including Manoeuvre and the useful field of view (UFOV). Changes in the extracted features deviated along with the test route, which was classified into 5 groups according to the type of route. The regression relationships between the features of oculo-motors and the cognitive test scores was created using the LASSO technique, where fitness and feature selections are evaluated. The predicted scores for driver's cognitive performance and dependency of route group were evaluated and the overall possibility of the estimating driver's conditions was confirmed. These results suggest that older driver's eye movements during driving reflect their cognitive abilities and level of mental workload.