A Comparative Study of Driving Performance Among Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Neurotypical Adolescents (Perf-TSA)

The primary objective of this study is to compare the number of driving errors made by novice adolescents (0-5 hours of driving instruction) with ASD to those made by neurotypical adolescents during a standardized driving simulator assessment. The secondary objectives of the study are to:

• Compare the visual strategies used by adolescents with ASD to those of neurotypical adolescents during a driving assessment on a simulator.
• Compare the types of errors and driving performance (i.e., speed, reaction time, following distance, and braking distance) of adolescents with ASD to those of neurotypical adolescents during the driving simulator assessment.
• Compare the driving performance of these two groups during a real-world road assessment using the TRIP scale.
• Examine the consistency between driving performance measured in the simulator and that observed in real-world conditions for both groups.
• Compare the anxiety levels of these two groups during driving tests on the simulator and on the road.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Autism Spectrum Disorders
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Assessment of executive functions and attention; Other: Evaluation on a driving simulator; Other: Evaluation on-road

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 22
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Héloïse BAILLET, Dr; Phone Number: +33232293047; Email: h.baillet@hlrs-lamusse.net

Study Locations

• France
  • Saint-Sébastien-de-Morsent, France, 27180
    • Hôpital La Musse

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

ASD Group

• Adolescents aged 15 to 17,
• With a confirmed diagnosis of ASD by a physician,
• Without an intellectual disability, with a Fluid Reasoning Index (IRF) greater than 80,
• Who have passed the written driver's license exam,
• With no or very limited driving experience (<5 hours),
• Enrolled in the social security system.

Neurotypical group:

• Adolescents aged 15 to 17,
• Without a diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disorders or learning disabilities,
• With a standard educational background,
• Who have passed the written driver's license exam,
• With no or very limited driving experience (<5 hours),
• Enrolled in the social security system.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Adolescents with ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) and/or ODD (oppositional defiant disorder) and/or IDD (intellectual disability) and/or SLI (specific language impairment) with associated comprehension difficulties,
• Adolescents who already have a driver's license,
• Adolescents currently taking driving lessons and/or with more than 5 hours of driving experience,
• Adolescents who have suffered a head injury during childhood,
• Other serious medical conditions that may interfere with participation in the sessions,
• Participation in another research protocol.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Neurotypical group; Once enrolled, each participant will undergo an assessment of executive functions and attention (conducted by a neuropsychologist, lasting 1 hour and 30 minutes) using the following tests: Attention Assessment Test (TAP),; Trail Making Test (TMT), which assesses mental flexibility,; Stroop Selective Attention Test, assessing the ability to inhibit automatic processes,; Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WSCT-modified), assessing abstract reasoning and the ability to change cognitive strategies in response to changes in the environment. Each adolescent will then undergo two driving assessments: one on a driving simulator and one on the road in a dual-control vehicle with a driving instructor.	Other: Assessment of executive functions and attention; Attention Assessment Test (TAP),; Trail Making Test (TMT), which assesses mental flexibility,; Stroop Selective Attention Test, assessing the ability to inhibit automatic processes,; Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WSCT-modified), assessing abstract reasoning and the ability to change cognitive strategies in response to changes in the environment.; Other: Evaluation on a driving simulator; The 1-hour simulator assessment will be preceded by a 1.5-hour orientation session. The simulator used is the Rehab Evolution, manufactured by Develter Innovation.; Other: Evaluation on-road; The on-road evaluation will be conducted using a dual-control vehicle, with a certified driving instructor and an occupational therapist. The evaluation will last one hour.
Experimental: ASD group; Once enrolled, each participant will undergo an assessment of executive functions and attention (conducted by a neuropsychologist, lasting 1 hour and 30 minutes) using the following tests: Attention Assessment Test (TAP) (25),; Trail Making Test (TMT), which assesses mental flexibility (26),; Stroop Selective Attention Test, assessing the ability to inhibit automatic processes (27),; Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WSCT-modified), assessing abstract reasoning and the ability to change cognitive strategies in response to changes in the environment (28). Each adolescent will then undergo two driving assessments: one on a driving simulator and one on the road in a dual-control vehicle with a driving instructor.	Other: Assessment of executive functions and attention; Attention Assessment Test (TAP),; Trail Making Test (TMT), which assesses mental flexibility,; Stroop Selective Attention Test, assessing the ability to inhibit automatic processes,; Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WSCT-modified), assessing abstract reasoning and the ability to change cognitive strategies in response to changes in the environment.; Other: Evaluation on a driving simulator; The 1-hour simulator assessment will be preceded by a 1.5-hour orientation session. The simulator used is the Rehab Evolution, manufactured by Develter Innovation.; Other: Evaluation on-road; The on-road evaluation will be conducted using a dual-control vehicle, with a certified driving instructor and an occupational therapist. The evaluation will last one hour.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Assessment of driving errors in various scenarios using a driving simulator.	Each adolescent's driving performance will be measured, following Michon's model, through two distinct levels of assessment: Assessment 1 focuses more on the operational level of Michon's model: the participant must control their vehicle while stationary and on the road under simple conditions, i.e., with no other road users and no incidents. During 5 tests, control of the controls, maintaining a straight line and staying in the lane when turning, and maintaining speed at low speeds (50 km/h) and moderate speeds (80 km/h) will be evaluated.; Assessment 2, which places greater emphasis on tactical skills: The participant will be confronted with more complex situations requiring adaptation of driving to road conditions and other road users. The aim is to gradually introduce additional cognitive demands: visual attention, visual scanning, interaction with other road users, and the management of critical situations in urban and rural environments through six tests.	At enrollment

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Visual exploration	Visual exploration will be assessed during simulator driving using an infrared eye-tracking device, the Tobii Pro Spark. This device, paired and synchronized with Develter Innovation's Rehab Evolution driving simulator, will collect eye-tracking data (e.g., number of fixations, fixation duration) from each subject during each scenario at a frequency of 60 Hz.	At enrollment
Driving performance on the simulator	Driving performance on the simulator will be evaluated, on the one hand, using data on speed, reaction time, following distance, and braking distance collected during each test. Additionally, the total driving error score will be broken down into 7 sub-scores, allowing for the evaluation and comparison of driving error types and the levels involved in relation to Michon's model: Control of vehicle controls,; Lane keeping and speed regulation,; Vehicle control during turns and speed regulation,; Visual scanning and divided attention while driving, level 1,; Visual scanning and divided attention while driving, level 2,; Executive functions level 1: interactions with traffic,; Executive functions level 2: management of critical situations.	At enrollment
Driving performance on-road	During the on-road evaluation, the TRIP scale (Test Ride for Investigating Practical fitness to drive) will be used and completed immediately after the test by an occupational therapist. This test allows for the standardization and quantification of driving performance using a list of behavioral items: lane position, following distance, speed, visual scanning, traffic signals, passing, anticipation, communication, special situations, vehicle controls, and overall impressions. Each item is quantified using a score on a scale of 1 to 4 (1: insufficient, 2: questionable, 3: sufficient, 4: good). The reliability of this test has already been demonstrated in several studies involving various populations, such as older adults, stroke survivors, and individuals with Huntington's disease. This grid also allows for the calculation of scores corresponding to the different hierarchical levels of Michon's model.	At enrollment
Anxiety	Participants' anxiety levels during on-road and simulator driving tests will be assessed using the STAI-Y (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Y-form, Appendix 3). It will be administered and completed before and after each assessment, both on-road and in the simulator. The general STAI-Y is a questionnaire designed to assess momentary anxiety and trait anxiety. For this study, only the state scale of the STAI-Y will be used. The state anxiety scale comprises 20 items and assesses the feelings of apprehension, tension, nervousness, and worry that the subject experiences at the time of the assessment.	At enrollment
Assessment of executive functions and attention	Assessment of executive functions and attention using the Attention Assessment Test (TAP) with the following subtests: "phasic alerting," "divided attention," "go/no go," "working memory," and "visual scanning", the Trail Making Test (TMT) assessing mental flexibility, the Stroop selective attention test assessing the ability to inhibit automatic processes, and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WSCT-modified), which assesses abstract reasoning and the ability to change cognitive strategies in response to changes in the environment.	At enrollment

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Hopital La Musse
• Collaborators: French Road Safety Delegation

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): July 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): June 30, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): August 31, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 1, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 1, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): June 5, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 5, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 1, 2026
• Last Verified: June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: ASD; learning; Driving simulator; Drive
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive; Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2025-A02129-40

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No