VR Driver Training Simulation
AsIA’s fiFtH GEn VIrtuAl REAlIty BAsED ADvAnCED DrIvEr TrAInInG SImulAtor CEntrE.
Asia’s fifth Gen Virtual Reality (VR) based Advanced Driver Training Simulator Centre was recently launched at Automobile Association of Southern India Centre (AASI), Chennai. The simulator said to be capable of helping learners to drive safely on Indian roads, is a patented technology. Ideated, designed and developed by Chennai based Red Chariots Technologies Pvt. Ltd., it took close to three years for a team of 12 engineers to develop the hardware and software, emulating the Indian driving standards and road conditions. Averred D V Vinod Gopal, Director, Red Chariots Technologies Pvt. Ltd., “We have invested around Rs.3.5 crores in developing this system. A person can test his driving skills and get certified.” Said to have 40 different vehicles and variants presenting everybody a choice to learn, the company according to Gopal doesn’t have a two-wheeler yet. The latter is being perfected, he mentioned.
Gopal drew attention to the dashboard. He explained that in the case of VR, it was possible to use the speedometer, monitor the RPM, the gear shifts and more. The driver can have almost 300 degree of visibility, which makes this simulator better than the rest. At the AASI in Chennai, two simulators are available for public use. At a cost of Rs.100 for an eight-minute session, existing drivers can make use of this simulator to learn the advanced techniques of driving and implement
it in their day to day driving style. Through the specialised training module, drivers learn to anticipate adverse situations on the road helping them make safe decisions with minimum to no risk for self and the general public on road. When a trainee registers their basic details in the app., they are presented with
a 45 seconds demo. This level will give the trainee, the required time to get used to the driving simulator and the immersive environment of Virtual Reality. The actual driving levels commence only after one has gone through the demo. Each module lasts for three minutes with the software specially designed and developed for Indian road scenarios.
The simulation
In the first five levels, the demo trains for safe driving. It is then that the vehicle’s physical dynamics come into play. The simulators, additionally are expected to increase the efficiency levels of the RTOs making the task of driver training easier. The computer itself will analyse the driving skill sets of an individual easing the pressure of the officials thus helping in bringing out the best in the driver. After completing each level, the trainee gains access to a detailed performance analysis report with pointers to areas of strength and scope for improvement based on how many rules are followed, how many road etiquettes are adhered to and their overall behaviour exhibited on the road simulation. Based on this score, a driver qualifies and graduates to the next level immediately or are told to retake the same level after an interval of 24 hours, until such time they qualify. With the launch of the simulators, the company is claimed to be getting enquiries for the same from different departments of the government and from the defence sector. The new simulators, opined Gopal, need to be highly customised based on their requirements. Once customised, they can be used for selected requirements to help the concerned drivers, he stated. “The biggest challenge for this simulator is that it cannot be sold off the shelf as we have to create and understand why a customer wants a simulator and then customise it according to their needs,” Gopal added. The Tamil Nadu Health and Transport Departments is said to have approached the company with enquiries coming in from defence headquarters among other corporate companies. A single simulator will
cost an estimated Rs.2.5-20 lakhs. The company is looking out for a possibility to cut costs.
The fifth Generation
About bringing in Asia’s first 5th Gen Virtual Reality based Advanced Driver Training Simulator, Vinod said, “The first generation was from the 1970s and had a single monitor. They moved from one monitor to three, giving them a 135-degree view. This is the second-gen. The view is better, but the driver feels he is sitting at the centre of the vehicle. Then came in the third generation where we fitted dome projectors. For example, a typical full truck body is kept inside a room and videos were played before it. Though the drive feel was better, the experience was not. The fourth-gen came along with the physics, which we can now see in the game parlours. The fifthgeneration brings in motion control. We are very close to reality. When a person is inside the simulator he can have a 300-degree view along with moving cars with a real-world feel. Going forward, the sixth generation will be augmented reality. One can sit inside a room and train him or herself using these.
Future plans
The company has plans to expand its simulators range and make it available at various places. In talks for customised simulators, and interested in training the next generations to build awareness for safe driving practices, the company is expected to touch base with schools with this technology and impart skills on road safety. We do not want to give them a simulator because we do not want them to drive a car or bike. By this, we are making them question adults when they drive bad and convert them to the better driver,” he concluded.