Ambient Light and its Influence on Driving Experience

In modern traffic, measures are implemented to regulate speeding, which may annoy drivers who pursue an exciting driving experience and make them exceed speed limits. Others prefer a more relaxing experience resulting in socially desired driving behavior. This paper presents a study investigating the capacity of ambient light to alter the perception of speed and therefore influence the driving experience. The aim of this study was to determine how different drivers experience the concept of an ambient light moving along the a-pillar inside the vehicle. In different conditions, the light moved at different speeds. The outcomes of the study show that overall the ambient light used in this study had a positive effect on the driving experience but that the attitude towards the ambient light was highly individual. The majority indicated a preference towards the ambient light while some saw it more as a distraction or even inducing more stress.