Research Aims to Help People with Autism Sharpen their Driving Skills

Research Aims to Help People with Autism Sharpen their Driving Skills

Researchers at the University of Michigan are studying the ability of people with autism spectrum¹ disorder² to notice road hazards. The scientists plan to use their findings to help young automobile³ drivers improve their driving skills.

The effort will be the second part of a project supported by Ford⁴ Motor Co. The project includes the university in Ann Arbor⁵ as well as a local driving school.

The first part of the study included tests with driving simulation programs. The researchers found that students with autism spectrum disorder detected fewer hazards than those without the disorder.

But lead researcher Elise Hodges said that some extra work behind the wheel helped the students drive more safely.

"Those folks that underwent training improved in two-thirds of hazards in the simulated drive," said Hodges. She is a clinical associate professor in the University of Michigan's neuropsychology program.

Tate Ellwood-Mielewski is among those who plan to return for part two of the study. He is 23 years old and from Ann Arbor. He was identified as having autism spectrum disorder when he was three years old.

"I do want to be able to drive ... and get places where I want to go," Ellwood-Mielewski said. His mother, Debbie Mielewski, helped bring together the partners to make the study happen.

Mielewski had been growing more concerned about her son's future with no driver's license⁶. She worried especially about what that would mean after she and his father die.

So, Mielewski, a sustainability expert at Ford, spoke⁷ with her boss in 2018. She asked her boss, "Would you support a program to help autistic spectrum kids to learn how to drive?"

"And he immediately said, ‘Yes!'" Mielewski said.

Ann Arbor Academy, a school for students with learning and social differences, hosted driving lessons. Hodges designed the simulated drives and oversaw⁸ the study. Ford financed the research.

The goal, in part, was to provide a chance for those with autism spectrum disorder to improve their driving skills.

"Many of them ... would like to drive, but getting from wanting to drive and being able to drive are two different things," Hodges said.

The first part of the study found that, in addition to lower hazard detection, students with autism were more likely to slow down and "stop short" in front of stop signs.

Hodges said she hopes the individualized driving sessions planned for the second part of the research will be successful.

Either way, programs like this can go a long way toward helping⁹ those with autism overcome their doubts, Debbie Mielewski said.

"If we can just free them to think that they can do anything, I really think they can," she said. "They need support. We should support them."

Hodges said she hopes similar programs appear elsewhere.

"I would hope that parents would learn that their teens or young adults who have ASD actually may be able to drive successfully," she said. "And there may be some tools out there that they may not have been aware of."

Hodges said the second part of the study is expected to start in a month or two.

Words in This Story

detect –v. to discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of

hazard –n. a source of danger

simulation –n. the imitative representation of the functioning of one system or process by means of the functioning of another

doubt –n. disbelief; a lack of trust in something

aware –v. to have knowledge of something

1 spectrum   

n.谱，光谱，频谱；范围，幅度，系列

参考例句：

• This is a kind of atomic spectrum.这是一种原子光谱。
• We have known much of the constitution of the solar spectrum.关于太阳光谱的构成，我们已了解不少。

2 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

3 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

4 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

5 arbor   

n.凉亭；树木

参考例句：

• They sat in the arbor and chatted over tea.他们坐在凉亭里，边喝茶边聊天。
• You may have heard of Arbor Day at school.你可能在学校里听过植树节。

6 license   

n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许

参考例句：

• The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。
• The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。

7 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

8 oversaw   

v.监督，监视( oversee的过去式 )

参考例句：

• He will go down as the president who oversaw two historic transitions. 他将作为见证了巴西两次历史性转变的总统，安然引退。 来自互联网
• Dixon oversaw the project as creative director of Design Research Studio. 狄克逊监督项目的创意总监设计研究工作室。 来自互联网

9 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。