In-vehicle psychomotor skill assessment while parked

A vehicle psychomotor driving skill assessment system, comprising:

• an on-board inputs group provided in a vehicle;
• an on-board computer receiving input from the on-board inputs group, the on-board computer accessing one or more algorithms from a memory to perform a skill test and for saved average skill test results, and to generate a current skill test result including a psychomotor ability assessment;
• a vehicle screen;
• a skill test image generated by the on-board computer and presented on the vehicle screen to assist a user in performing the skill test, wherein the skill test image defines a full driving skill test image generated and presented on the vehicle screen having a vehicle image presented onto a roadway image defining a stop and turn roadway image generated by the on-board computer, the stop and turn roadway image including a first roadway portion, a road sign requiring the user to conduct a vehicle turn onto a second roadway portion about a predetermined turning path, the full driving skill test image used to identify a user steering control and accuracy, a user braking smoothness, a user acceleration smoothness and a quantity of lane excursions;
• a first lateral driving skill test image presented on the vehicle screen, having a vehicle image generated by the on-board computer onto a roadway image, the first lateral driving skill test image testing a user ability to maintain a substantially constant predetermined side-to-side displacement of the vehicle image compared to a roadway centerline;
• a second lateral driving skill test image presented on the vehicle screen having the vehicle image generated by the on-board computer onto the roadway image including a first driving lane, a second driving lane and a lane centerline demarking a division between the first driving lane and the second driving lane, the second lateral driving skill test image testing a user steering smoothness and a driving accuracy in clearing the lane centerline as the vehicle image progresses in a predetermined lane change operation;
• a third lateral driving skill test image presented on the vehicle screen having the vehicle image generated by the on-board computer onto the roadway image defining a curving road section, the third lateral driving skill test image testing a user steering smoothness and a driving accuracy in travelling the roadway image as the vehicle image progresses between edges of the roadway image;
• a vehicle steering wheel, a vehicle accelerator pedal and a vehicle brake pedal actuated by the user in a vehicle park mode to simulate operation of the vehicle during the skill test;
• and
• vehicle position sensors of the vehicle steering wheel, the vehicle accelerator pedal and the vehicle brake pedal sensing and reporting position changes to the on-board computer indicating maintenance or deviation from a predetermined driving test threshold,
• wherein the psychomotor ability assessment includes results in increments of an average value range having a population average score on previous skill tests in a first band, a personal average score of the user taken over time in a second band, an advised minimum test score for the user to judge if a minimum standard has been met on a most recent skill test performed by the user and a current user assessment score for the most recent skill test taken by the user, and
• wherein if the user current assessment score presents below the advised minimum test score and vehicle operation is not recommended an options list is presented to the user on the vehicle screen, the options list including presenting a party to contact including a police emergency icon, a vehicle communication system icon, a first ride calling icon, a second ride calling icon, a home phone icon, and a friend phone icon.

A method for performing a vehicle psychomotor driving skill assessment, comprising:

• providing an on-board inputs group in a vehicle including one or more physiological sensors;
• forwarding an input from the on-board inputs group to an on-board computer;
• operating the on-board computer to access one or more algorithms from a memory to perform a skill test, to evaluate skill test data, to access stored skill test results from previous user performed skill tests and for saved average skill test results, and to generate a current user skill test result including a psychomotor ability assessment, the skill test including:
• a first lateral driving skill test image presented on a vehicle screen, having a vehicle image generated by the on-board computer onto a roadway image, the first lateral driving skill test image testing a user ability to maintain a substantially constant predetermined side-to-side displacement of the vehicle image compared to a roadway centerline;
• a second lateral driving skill test image presented on the vehicle screen having the vehicle image generated by the on-board computer onto the roadway image including a first driving lane, a second driving lane and a lane centerline demarking a division between the first driving lane and the second driving lane, the second lateral driving skill test image testing a user steering smoothness and a driving accuracy in clearing the lane centerline as the vehicle image progresses in a predetermined lane change operation;
• and
• a third lateral driving skill test image presented on the vehicle screen having the vehicle image generated by the on-board computer onto the roadway image defining a curving road section, the third lateral driving skill test image testing a user steering smoothness and a driving accuracy in travelling the roadway image as the vehicle image progresses between edges of the roadway image;
• generating a skill test image by the on-board computer and presented the skill test image on the vehicle screen to assist a user in performing the skill test, wherein the skill test image defines a full driving skill test image generated and presented on the vehicle screen having a vehicle image presented onto a roadway image defining a stop and turn roadway image generated by the on-board computer, the stop and turn roadway image including a first roadway portion, a road sign requiring the user to conduct a vehicle turn onto a second roadway portion about a predetermined turning path, the full driving skill test image used to identify a user steering control and accuracy, a user braking smoothness, a user acceleration smoothness and a quantity of lane excursions;
• and
• presenting the current user skill test result including the psychomotor ability assessment on the vehicle screen, the current user skill test result assisting the user in determining a user capability to operate the vehicle following the skill test,
• wherein the psychomotor ability assessment includes results in increments of an average value range having a population average score on previous skill tests in a first band, a personal average score of the user taken over time in a second band, an advised minimum test score for the user to judge if a minimum standard has been met on a most recent skill test performed by the user and a current user assessment score for the most recent skill test taken by the user, and
• wherein if the user current assessment score presents below the advised minimum test score and vehicle operation is not recommended an options list is presented to the user on the vehicle screen, the options list including presenting a party to contact including a police emergency icon, a vehicle communication system icon, a first ride calling icon, a second ride calling icon, a home phone icon, and a friend phone icon.