| Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with impairments in a variety of skills that are likely to impact driving performance, including social functioning, processing speed, attention and working memory, and executive function. Although individuals with ASD and their parents report more difficulty with driving than typically developing (TD) peers (Cox et al., 2012; Daly et al., 2014), objective measurement of novice drivers with ASD is limited (Classen & Monahan, 2013; Cox et al., 2015). In the current study, 50 young adults with ASD (age range: 16-26) and TD controls matched on age, gender, IQ, and licensure history completed neurocognitive measures and several tasks on a virtual reality driving simulator. Drivers with ASD had significantly more difficulty with speed and lane management than TD controls. Engaging in secondary tasks (e.g., radio-tuning, social conversation) impacted driving behavior for both groups but difficulty was more pronounced for the ASD group, particularly during radio-tuning. Several neurocognitive variables were related to baseline driving behavior and to the impact of secondary tasks on driving behavior. Results suggest that many young adults with ASD will require increased training to become proficient drivers. Findings underscore the need for targeted driver training programs for this population, which may include a slow and graduated hierarchical approach to driving instruction, direct instruction in "unwritten" rules of the road, and coaching to anticipate unexpected events while driving. |
