Virtual reality crash course highlights risk of distraction to young drivers

The Ford Reality Check app is specifically aimed at young people who have grown up surrounded by social media

The Ford Reality Check app is specifically aimed at young people who have grown up surrounded by social media

The training experience uses Google Daydream VR to cast participants as a distracted driver picking up friends on the way to a party

The training experience uses Google Daydream VR to cast participants as a distracted driver picking up friends on the way to a party

Carmaker Ford has partnered with Google and virtual reality (VR) studio Happy Finish to create an app that will bring to life the potentially fatal consequences of driving while distracted.

The Ford Reality Check app is specifically aimed at young people who have grown up surrounded by social media. 

The training experience uses Google Daydream VR to cast participants as a distracted driver picking up friends on the way to a party. Instant messages, phone calls and chatty passengers all compete for attention, sparking a series of near misses. The final distraction proves fatal, and the driver is to blame.

Ford Reality Check’s creators hope the educational app will help young people to develop safer driving practices. Latest European Commission data reveals that more than 3,600 young people are killed in accidents on Europe’s roads every year, with two-thirds being drivers. 

“Being involved in a car crash can be a life-changing experience – and sadly, for too many young people, one that cuts lives tragically short,” said Jim Graham, manager of Ford Driving Skills for Life. “We hope that by providing a chilling glimpse of how easily this could actually happen, we will encourage young people to drive more safely. Virtual reality is the ideal medium to highlight the dangers of distracted driving to young motorists. This age group is more likely to engage with VR, and studies suggest immersive experiences in virtual worlds can positively influence behaviours in the real world too.”

The interruptions faced by drivers in Ford Reality Check are based upon the most prevalent and dangerous distractions for this age group, including those from smartphones and passengers. The app tracks the amount of time the driver doesn’t have their eyes on the road, displaying the total at the end. 

In the app, the smartphone in the driver’s hand becomes a key interactive element. The handheld Google Daydream controller, a component of the Daydream VR platform, is designed to mirror the behaviour and interactions of the virtual phone within the app, enhancing the sense of presence in the virtual world.

“The powerful creative collaboration between Ford, their agency partners and Google (Zoo) has given rise to a meaningful educational VR project that has the potential to save many young drivers’ lives,” said Steve Paler from Google.

In initial tests, 90% of those who used the app said they would change their driving behaviour after the experience. “With Ford Reality Check, we have created a safe environment in which to fail – and to learn,” said Daniel Cheetham of Happy Finish. “It’s one thing to show an educational film to young drivers; it’s another thing entirely to immerse them in its reality. However, we are sure all drivers will benefit from this experience."

Ford Reality Check will be demonstrated at the Ford Driving Skills for Life events on 17-19 November at the ExCeL.