What Researchers Need from Driving Simulator Systems: A Thematic Analysis of Expert Interviews

Automotive researchers face challenges using diverse driving simulator tools to address their research questions. This paper aims to identify the needs in current driving simulator systems. Numerous driving simulator systems are available and are continuing to be developed, but researchers' needs are often overlooked in the development of such systems. To determine the challenges in this, we conducted 15 video interviews with industry and academic researchers engaged in automotive interface design research, transcribed the interviews, and performed thematic analysis. We identified needs across three broad dimensions including: (1) participant experience, (2) research needs, and (3) operationalization requirements. By categorizing these needs, we aim to inform the development of future simulation tools that are more accessible to researchers from diverse backgrounds.