Related Sections: DVICE Video Galleries Vehicles
The $80 million joyride: Inside Iowa's NADS-1 driving simulator
The NADS-1 (National Advanced Driving Simulator) at the University of Iowa is as close to driving as you can get without driving a real car. One of the two most sophisticated driving simulators in the world, it delivers its ultra-realistic driving experience thanks to $80 million worth of software and sophisticated hydraulics, not to mention the unmatched expertise of the U. Iowa research and development team who designed and built it.
Completing the illusion: a real car interior, nestled inside a huge pod that rapidly moves around a room the size of a basketball court. The seats, steering wheel and pedals all feel real because they are. It's a real car, just without the engine or wheels.
We stepped into the sim for this firsthand adventure, and what did we experience? Those graphics projected onto eight huge screens all around aren't even the best part — it's the near-total realism we felt when we slammed on the brakes. Watch the video above for our hands-on (and body-on) adventure, then hit the Continue jump for more info and pics of this epic driving sim.
No wonder the NADS-1 is used for research projects such as driving while using cellphones and sleep apnea studies: It's perfect. Accelerate, and you're pressed into the seat. Execute an evasive maneuver, and you're tossed from side to side in the car, just like the real thing. Run off the road and into the gravel on the road's shoulder, and you can feel it in the steering wheel. And because the graphics you're seeing exactly match the g-forces your body's feeling, there's no seasickness.
The result is an amazing experience that feels exactly like the real thing. The researchers put us on a two-lane course, and toyed with us. They lulled us into relaxing for a while, and then sprung desperately dangerous situations on us that required some serious swerving. How did we do? Let's just say we lived.
 |  |
|
By Stan Winstone at 8:07 AM ON 07/27/09
Go NADS!
By Hellbender at 9:06 AM ON 07/27/09
I wonder why, after spending 80 millions, graphics still sucks so badly. I see there's plenty of hardware in there, why not spending a bit more on GPUs and a bunch of good artists? This always make me shiver every time I see these "virtual reality" application....
By Dug at 11:33 AM ON 07/27/09
Th graphics may be lacking, but it is fun to drive. When you roll a car it feels like you are going over. I had a lot of fun in it.
By Al at 12:35 PM ON 07/27/09
Now if they only make this a requirement with getting a license, it would definitely week out the people who are not deserving of being on the road.
By Al at 12:37 PM ON 07/27/09
Of course I meant "Weed out" :-)
By Arya at 2:22 PM ON 07/27/09
This is amazing stuff. I've walked through this facility and know a few of the management staff personally. This is an exceptional crew and they're doing some great stuff.
By JayBay at 4:50 AM ON 07/28/09
I would have perferred a Train Simulator. Why would anybody want a car simulator that's the easiest thing to do is get in a car and drive? Complete waste of money IMO.
By knighthawk at 11:43 AM ON 07/29/09
I participated in a drunk driving study there recently and boy, the driving sure was realistic. A few times, when my BAC was at 0.1%, I briefly forgot I was in a simulator! Fortunately for me they didn't have any real obstacles to dodge like in the above video, just a leisurely 30 minute drive home from the bar.
By Armageist at 6:34 AM ON 07/30/09
Wow, although the graphics are from the late 90's, this looks really awesome. I would love to take a gander on this and show just how much more I need to learn even after driving for 15+ years and currently being employed as a Durability Test Driver. I wish they had this in California. Talk about getting your reflexes and panic controls in prime shape.
By Armageist at 6:36 AM ON 07/30/09
Wow, although the graphics are from the late 90's, this looks really awesome. I would love to spend a couple hours or even days on this and reveal just how much more I need to learn even after driving for 15+ years and currently being employed as a Durability Test Driver. I wish they had this in California. Talk about getting your reflexes and panic controls in prime shape.
By badmoon at 7:43 AM ON 07/30/09
What a total waist of money. I am shocked at the price, however i am sure it is fun to use and can be used for all kinds of learning, but come on, 80 million. Build a big test track and use real cars and then you could make hundreds of the things. 80 million. BAA Humbug I say, Humbug!
By Salient at 9:31 AM ON 07/30/09
@badmoon - You seem to be missing the point that the simulator is designed to provide as close to a "real" driving experience as possible while protecting the driver in a controlled environment. If you did it with actual cars on a test track, you have a much greater risk of injury to test subjects and you would have to more carefully control the tests and test environment to reduce the potential for injury.
By LMcIsaac at 11:04 AM ON 07/30/09
Fantastic work! Keep up the research. It is needed.
By savdavid at 1:12 PM ON 07/30/09
I wonder how badmoon can say it is a total waste of money? Does he/she prefer people REALLY put their lives in danger? Strange
By drbellamy at 6:45 PM ON 07/30/09
Right... can it play "doom"? Because that's what the graphics are like. Always these crazy projects spending millions if not billions while so many millions of Americans are unemployed and struggling to feed their kids. It's a joke and a waste of money, seriously.
By Wulf at 6:37 PM ON 08/01/09
I can see where this could be great for some movie chase scenes. Get some CGI going on the screen and it may be cheaper to 'wreck' a car there than in real life and you could film the actual actor without having to worry about serious harm coming to them.
By futurebogey at 12:31 AM ON 09/23/09
How can this mere car simulator cost 80 million when the F-22 Raptor sim only cost 26??? If this was paid with taxpayer funds, I say we all get to ride this ride... All of us taxpayers that is...
By Dashel at 10:21 AM ON 09/23/09
Now, if you could only put some truck drivers into this thing and make them work on their driving -- too many calling themselves professionals drive like teenagers --> and sorry, teenagers with tons of moving vehicle dofn't belong on the road.
By staticfive at 3:32 PM ON 10/08/09
Why do the most expensive systems always have graphics that look like ass?
By manit singh mason(b.tech Ist) at 10:58 PM ON 10/24/09
i am student of b.tech first year(ME) in baba farid collage of engineering and technology (india) i want help you regarding with our elecricproducing house, we have many concept which do improvement in these house, if u understand with me me than contact us in collage, are you come in india?
if yes ,we r ready to help u, and if no so god bless u,my name manjeet singh masoun s/o harvinder singh
By Mark Gonzales at 11:17 PM ON 11/03/09
my nads
By new hidden object games at 10:13 PM ON 11/04/09
This is crazy.
By tburd at 7:15 PM ON 11/05/09
That green thing must be one of those turtle things so you can strap it on top and take your skis.
By badmoon at 11:56 PM ON 11/19/09
This thing is junk for something that cost 80 million dollars. It is not new, the crap in the thing is decades old. No one is fooled here who works in the industry. I am sure it is fun to play with, but 80 million. There are not enough studies on the face of the planet that could use this antiquated turd. LMAO get real. You could buy half a dozen CRAY super computers and put together something worth while for eighty million dollars. Come on, this is a joke for that kind of money. The graphics are right out of the Commodore 64 computer. Baa HAAHAHAHAA I would much rather give out 100,000 scholarships to needy people who want to learn. Bah HUMBUG I say! No matter what you say about the thing you will never be able to polish that turd and make it shine. Not even the myth busters could shine that one.
By Anonymous at 6:59 AM ON 12/15/09
lol i wanna go
on your cellphone!
Text DVICE to 72434
editor@dvice.com
Anonymous:
lol i wanna go...More »