Driving Safety Research Institute | College of Engineering | The University of Iowa

Our Mission

We aim to make roads safer by researching the connection between humans and vehicles. We are home to the National Advanced Driving Simulator, and we now have a new name for our broader institute: the Driving Safety Research Institute.

About Us

Participate

Participate in one of our studies, or join our registry to get notified about new studies.

Rose Schmitt and John Gaspar in NADS-1 control room

Our Research

We partner with researchers around the world to study the connection between humans and vehicles.

The 24-foot NADS-1 simulator is on a six-legged base that rotates up to 330° and moves across the 64-foot square bay floor to simulate driving motions such as accelerating, lane changing, and skidding. There are 23 brakes on the large crossbeam that spans the room, while 42 hydrostatic bearings ride on a thin film of oil across smooth metal belts.

Our Tech

Simulators and Vehicles miniSim

News

Connected simulation captures realistic human interaction

Thursday, February 4, 2021

NADS recently wrapped up a multi-year project connecting multiple people interacting in the same virtual environment.

Cameras mounted on the exterior of the driver and passenger side doors capture lane position.

Medical research meets driving research

Tuesday, February 2, 2021

Does exercise change driving performance in patients with Parkinson’s disease?

Tesla and Ford Transit, UI automated vehicles

Creating an Automated Shuttle for America’s Backroads

Thursday, January 28, 2021

ADAPT Automotive

An automated shuttle bus is about to hit Iowa roads next summer. Here's a brief update on our ADS for Rural America project by ADAPT, including how our vehicle is becoming automated at AutonomouStuff, LLC to how COVID-19 has impacted the project.

International scholars partner on research projects

Monday, January 25, 2021

Visiting scientists from around the world come to NADS to work on research projects for sometimes months at a time and collaborate with our experts. One such example was in fall 2019, with Felix Ellensohn from the Technical University of Munich, Germany.

Countermeasures to reduce drowsy driving

Monday, January 25, 2021

NORC at the University of Chicago

Are drivers ready for automated vehicles?

Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Teens at the wheel

Wednesday, January 20, 2021

When parents are in the vehicle with their teenage driver, crash rates are low. However, as soon as teens are by themselves, the crash rates skyrocket. Can new-driver training programs be used to effectively lower those rates?

Highlights from 2020

Monday, January 11, 2021

National Advanced Driving Simulator

Learn more about our major accomplishments from FY20, including ADS for Rural America, cannabis and driving, teens at the wheel, human factors, connected simulation, Parkinson's disease, new options on miniSim, and more

Springfield custom tile for Florida State University

New virtual assets added to Springfield

Thursday, January 7, 2021

The Road to the Future Runs Through Iowa

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

Iowa Magazine

University of Iowa researchers at the National Advanced Driving Simulator pave the way for the automated vehicles of tomorrow. But how soon before self-driving cars get here? Iowa's rural roads could hold the key.

Automated shuttle bus on rural Iowa road

ADS for Rural America

Learn more about our Automated Driving Systems (ADS) for Rural America project, which drove a partially-automated shuttle bus through Iowa City, Hills, Riverside, and Kalona, Iowa.

Tour our tech

Take a 360 degree virtual tour of our facility, and learn more about our technology and expertise.