PhD in Ergonomics

This PhD explores how driving simulators can be used to assess and train driving skills, and support rehabilitation following injury, illness, or disability. The mixed-method, interdisciplinary project will investigate their potential as consistent, objective assessment tools as well as their impact on the recovery of cognitive, sensory, and motor skills. Driving requires a complex combination of motor, sensory, and cognitive skills. When an individual experiences injury, illness, or disability, their fitness to drive may be affected. The UK government provides guidance for medical professionals assessing fitness to drive, but decisions ultimately rely on individual clinical judgment, which may be influenced by a patient’s social or emotional circumstances. Withdrawing a person’s driving licence can significantly impact their independence and mental health, potentially placing additional pressure on health and social care systems. Conversely, allowing them to continue driving could pose serious risks to both themselves and others. With the growing prevalence of stroke and other age-related conditions, this issue represents an increasingly important national challenge. Although use in the UK remains limited to early trials, driving simulators are attracting growing attention in the field of fitness to drive. They offer potential advantages in terms of consistency, control, and objectivity, and show promise as re-training tools that help individuals regain driving confidence and ability. Emerging evidence also suggests that driving simulators can have positive effects on broader cognitive, sensory, and motor functions. Beyond helping people return to driving, driving simulation itself may represent a valuable neurorehabilitation technology. This PhD, involving experts across three faculties, will explore these interconnected areas, working with clinicians, simulation experts, and patients in an interdisciplinary field that brings together medicine, psychology, health sciences, transport, and computer science.