User Experience in Immersive VR-Based Serious Game: An Application in Highly Automated Driving Training

In the way of smoothing driver interaction with highly automated vehicles, we designed an immersive (VR + serious game) training program with a focus on improving drivers' mental model. Then, we tackled the usability flaws and upgraded the preliminary serious game (PSG) to usability-improved serious game (USG). Three groups of participants-no-training, PSG and USG-were tested to explore the effects of immersive training on drivers performance and experiences in highly automated driving. The results showed that both training programs significantly improved driving performance and resulted in faster takeover time (TOT), longer time-to-collision (TTC), and fewer number of the collision. Moreover, the participants in training groups reported less erratic acceptance and more calibrated trust compared to the control group. Although improving usability in USG led to better flow experience (enjoyment and engagement) and lower cognitive load during the learning process, it did not contribute significantly to training transferability.