4000 W Dimond Blvd Unit 220 Anchorage, AK 99502
907.330.9046
AlaskA Safe Driver Academy LLC
SIMULATOR TRAINING
INTRODUCING THE VR MOTION DRIVING SIMULATOR
BENEFITS OF SIMULATOR TRAINING ARE WELL KNOWN TO THE PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY, NOW THOSE BENEFITS ARE AVAILABLE TO STUDENT DRIVERS.
Benefits of simulator training:
Our simulator training is intended for the new driver. Imagine if new drivers could attend a driving school that had miles of private highways, several blocks of private city roads and even an obstacle course where more extreme vehicle control could be learned.
Full motion Virtual Reality gives the student all of the sensory feedback that they experience in a real vehicle. When the driver accelerates, brakes and turns, they feel the weight shift. This is crucial in helping the student understand how to use the pedals and steering wheel smoothly.
While this would cost hundreds of millions of dollars in a real world training facility, it is actually possible thru virtual reality driving simulators. VR MOTION Corporation has built just such a facility, specifically for new drivers.
This virtual facility includes a rural highway, several city blocks, an obstacle course and a parking lot where drivers can learn to park forward and reverse.
NEW ADDITION: in addition to the excellent VR Motion program, we have added another program that allows us to fully program weather changes on a variety of road systems and training areas. This allows drivers to experience sun glare, fog, night, thunderstorms and blizzard conditions as well as snow on roads, a variety of wet conditions including deep water across all lanes and even wind and lightening.
Each scenario lasts about 10 minutes, depending on the driver. An instructor monitors the students abilities, coaching them as they learn to steer, brake and accelerate. Most new drivers are shocked at how important the use of proper visual techniques are in controlling the vehicle or for predicting when to brake, accelerate or steer.
The student learns to make decisions as they merge, reverse, approach intersections controlled by stop signs, yield signs and traffic lights. Things are kept basic enough to allow the new driver to absorb the fundamentals of driving. More complex juggling of controls (turn signals, windshield wipers, headlights, etc. are taught to drivers who are driving in our real cars).
New drivers will eventually make mistakes, sometimes serious errors that could lead to severe consequences such as major damages, injuries or even death. The use of simulator training allows drivers to work thru these situations in complete safety, but also to learn from any failures.
Our simulator is not a game. If a student drives recklessly, speeds excessively, has a collision, drives off the course or does not follow the directions, the simulator will end the scenario. When a scenario is ended, the instructor will review it with the student. A record may be kept to help the student see where they are improving from session to session.
Learning to keep a vehicle at a proper speed, maintain lane position and steering (small tight turns, medium or even wide sweeping turns) are the fundamentals most new drivers struggle with the most. Add bad weather to this, such as a snow storm during scheduled driving lessons, and a new driver could really be put at a disadvantage.
Our program is designed to get the new driver started on the fundamentals without the interference of aggressive traffic or bad weather. Because they are able to concentrate on the skills they need to learn, muscle memory can be programmed into their habits much more quickly.
COVID-19 Safe training:
As always, we sterilize all simulator equipment between each driver.
The current client, a parent of the client and the instructor are the only people allowed in the training area.
The instructor is able to maintain a safe distance from the student while the student is driving on the simulator.
We require that clients be in good health in order to attend any of our training programs.
Alaska Safe Driver Academy LLC ©