Dec. 1, 2020
Back when Sam was part of Civil FX (now a division of Parametrix), he and his team started working on a totally different kind of project than the ones they were already used to — which they mentioned in episode #4 of this podcast. This project was the Simulator for Active Distracted Driver (SADD), in which they aimed at “using fortnight to save lives”. Today’s show is an update on the status of this project, and the challenges the COVID pandemic posed to its iteration.
Essentially, SADD can be described as a simulator that teaches the public in general the dangers of distracted driving. However, since one of the most common causes of car accidents reported to be related to distracted driving is cell phone usage, this virtual reality tool can be said to focus on teaching younger drivers the consequences of their distracted actions. While there are many examples of virtual reality being used to spread the word about this problem, the goal with SADD is to create something that is active and that people could “play with”, really visualizing themselves in the high-risk situation.
Listen to the episode to find out how the simulator works, the problems Sam and his team faced when trying to get the simulator out and test it with people due to COVID-related restrictions, and what the future of it may look like, given that Vision is making progress towards a 2021 launch.
The simulator is already available on Sidequest for free. If you can utilize it, please do and share your thoughts with us! Furthermore, If you’re in the transportation safety world, reach out to us too!
Resources Mentioned
Simulator for Active Distracted Driver - SADD / Sidequest
AT&T Campaign - It Can Wait
Beyond CAD - Website / Vision Weekly Update / Video Updates
Sam Lytle - LinkedIn / [email protected]
Civil FX (Now a division of Parametrix) - Website
Subscribe to the podcast - iTunes / Spotify / Google Podcasts
We’re part of the CEMENT Podcast Network - Website
