Evaluation of the Effect of Emotion on Lane-Keeping Performance Using Physiological Indexes

Abstract

Emotion is a significant factor that affects driving performance. To prevent accidents caused by drivers’ emotions, it is important to understand the effect of emotion on driving performance. Many studies have used subjective evaluation methods to evaluate the effects of emotions on driving performance. However, these methods require direct questioning of the subject, which can be difficult to evaluate during driving. Furthermore, it is still unclear how positive emotions affect driving performance, especially on lane-keeping performance. Therefore, this study aims to objectively examine the effect of positive emotions on driving performance using physiological indexes. In the experiment, participants were asked to drive both with and without induced positive emotions via music stimuli. We collected electroencephalograph (EEG) and heart rate variability (HRV) data and offset from the lane position during driving. We used EEG and HRV indexes to evaluate arousal and comfort levels and compared how different positive emotions affect lane-keeping performance. Sixteen students participated in the experiment. The results showed higher RMSSD, lower β/α, and smaller the standard deviation of lateral position (SDLP) in the music condition. These results suggest that music induces a more relaxed emotional state. Furthermore, positive emotions, such as relaxation, can lead to better driving performance. However, future studies should focus more on how to induce emotions and the difficulty of driving tasks.