Driving simulators can improve virtual driving performance like speed regulation and stimulus reaction, but evidence remains inconclusive on how well those abilities transfer to real-world roads, according to a 2024 systematic review published in the Journal of Safety Research and reported by SlashGear.
What Simulators Improve
Aspiring young road drivers and professional motorsports competitors have relied on teaching tools for decades. Lexus developed a 15-foot-high, 56-foot-diameter dome simulator back in 2010. Formula One teams spend millions on bespoke systems to secure a track advantage. Racing schools argue that these setups build core physical skills, including hand-to-eye coordination, spatial awareness, and high-pressure decision-making.
Training with a simulator improves virtual performance across speed regulation and reaction to stimuli, the 2024 systematic review published in the Journal of Safety Research showed, according to SlashGear. Auto manufacturers such as Volvo built an ultimate driving simulator using gaming tech in 2020. Companies use these systems to refine vehicle safety and develop autonomous driving technology.
Why Simulators Cannot Replace Real Roads
Simulated driving should not serve as a wholesale replacement for real-world road lessons. The 2024 study review highlighted that design weaknesses and selection bias could skew underlying research data. Researchers concluded that simulator training should only supplement existing driver education programs.
Practical drawbacks prevent universal participation. Manual driving simulators, particularly virtual reality headset setups, induce dizziness and intense nausea during longer sessions. These physical side effects make continuous training impossible for certain learners.
Gran Turismo Illustrates Real-Life Competitive Success
Hollywood captured a high-profile success story in 2023. The film “Gran Turismo” tells the real-life account of a Welsh gamer who sharpened his skills playing the video game of the same name and went on to win actual racing competitions in the real world. The film documented this real-life account of competitive success.
Data clarity remains limited regarding real-world translation. The 2024 study review said that it was not clear how well virtual abilities transferred outside of simulations. Researchers have not yet resolved whether simulator proficiency directly creates safer everyday drivers.
