How do the vehicle dynamics of motorcycles influence the development and application of assistance systems? How does the design of display and control concepts differ from the passenger car sector, and what role do motorcycle simulators play in relation to future trends in motorcycle safety?

The standard work Handbook Assisted and Automated Driving, which is well established in the scientific context, is now also available in an English version following the fourth German edition. The comprehensive reference work offers a well-founded overview of the design, operating principles, and system architectures of modern driver assistance and automation systems. In addition to technological fundamentals, it also covers development and testing methods as well as related topics, such as the user-centered design of human-machine interfaces. The chapters on commercial vehicles and motorcycles have been thoroughly revised for the current edition.

The WIVW, together with colleagues from Robert Bosch GmbH (Bosch 2WP), BMW Motorrad, and KTM R&D, played a leading role in the chapter “Motorcycle Riding Assistance Systems.” This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the latest technologies, research methods and key issues relating to the safety of two-wheeled vehicles. A new chapter has also been added on the role of motorcycle simulators in current and future vehicle development, an area set to become increasingly digitalised.

We are particularly pleased that the book has been published as an open-access title and is available free of charge here.

Would you like to sleep during an automated journey? And if so, how would you like to be woken up?

In the SALSA project, the WIVW investigated these questions together with Audi in an online survey and the results now have been published in the journal Theoretical and Applied Ergonomics. In the study, 280 participants imagined themselves in the future situation of being able to sleep in an automated vehicle over a longer distance, e.g., on the way to work or on a trip to their vacation destination.

The results show that 40% of the drivers would like to sleep. The potential was even greater among younger participants.

But what if the automated vehicle reaches the limits of its technical capabilities? In this case, many drivers do not want to stop, but rather take control of the vehicle while driving. The participants wanted the vehicle to help them improve their driving readiness after sleeping.

As part of the SALSA project, the WIVW is conducting large scale participant studies in a driving simulator to investigate how modern interior concepts can improve drivers’ preparedness after sleep.

The publication is freely available here.

The SALSA project is funded by Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie and supervised by TÜV Rheinland Group.

SALSA mid-term event successfully completed!

We are delighted to have been part of the successful mid-term event for the project SALSA (Smart, Adaptive and Learnable Systems for All) project in the Schwabenlandhalle in Fellbach. The event offered exciting insights into research on the acceptance of automated and autonomous vehicles in mixed traffic. Initial findings from the research and development work of the project members were presented in various forms on a wide range of topics covered by SALSA.

A concept developed by WIVW and studiokurbos for teaching complex automated driving functions was presented using a demonstrator with SILAB – a practical example of the innovative research being pursued in the SALSA project. In addition, the WIVW presented initial results from further studies on the acceptance of automated vehicles in mixed traffic, the influence of sleep during automated driving on subsequent manual driving, and a concrete measure to support the waking-up process.

A big thank you to all participants and project members who made this event a complete success!

The SALSA project is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy

In the interests of quality assurance, all ADAC driving instructors undergo specific training measures each year. On the weekend of 17 January 2026, the WIVW was invited to help conduct the ADAC Hessen-Thüringen e.V. instructor training course at the Grammetal Driving Safety Centre.

In the lecture ‘A Look into the Future – Assistance. Automation. Teleoperation’, the WIVW reported on its own current human factors research and provided the instructors with insights into testing procedures for modern assistance systems, such as driver drowsiness warning systems (DDAW), as well as topics from the research fields of high automation and teleoperation of vehicles.

Picture rights: ADAC/ Sabine Seizer

The mid-term event for the SALSA (Smart, Adaptive and Learnable Systems for All) project will take place on 12 February 2026 at the Schwabenhalle in Fellbach.

The project is investigating the acceptance of automated and autonomous vehicles in mixed traffic. Important steps are being taken to establish automated and autonomous vehicles in mixed traffic through research in areas such as eHMI, driver state, sleep, adaptation and communication, as well as acceptance and knowledge transfer.

At the mid-term event, the findings from the first half of the project will be presented alongside initial approaches to increasing acceptance in the near future. Participants can look forward to exciting keynotes, in-depth insights into all SALSA topics and an interactive exhibition.

The WIVW will present innovative results on the acceptance of automated vehicles in mixed traffic and address the issue of how sleep during automated driving affects subsequent manual driving. Additionally, results regarding the effectiveness of a practical measure to support the process of awakening will be presented. Furthermore, visitors will be able to experience a training concept developed at the WIVW for educating people about automated driving functions using a demonstrator.

Entry is free of charge. As participation is limited, we recommend registering early via the project website.

SALSA is funded by the German Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.

After four and a half years of research, development and collaboration, the final event of the EU-project Hi-Drive on automated driving (AD) took place on 25th November at Autoworld in Brussels. This successful conclusion was celebrated with an interactive exhibition, presented by the partners, showcasing the project's achievements and innovations.

The WIVW was present, demonstrating a simulator-based training for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) developed in Hi-Drive. This was just one of WIVW’s many contributions to Hi-Drive. The WIVW conducted a wide variety of studies on topics related to the acceptance of and mental models for AD functions, car sickness during AD and behavioural adaptations to AD. These studies took the form of online surveys, experimental studies in a simulator, on a test track and on open roads.

WIVW also presented at the annual EUCAR conference alongside the Hi-Drive consortium afterwards. In addition to representatives from the worlds of research and industry, political actors were present as well, leading to fruitful discussions about the future of the European automotive industry and road safety.

We are extremely grateful to have been part of this excellent consortium and to have worked with so many competent partners. Thank you to all the Hi-Drive partners!