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February 1, 2021
VDI Launches New Collision Avoidance Simulation 2021 - Automotive Fleet publication 2021: Virtual Driver Interactive, provider of simulation-based driver training solutions for fleets is expanding their product portfolio by launching Advanced Driver Safety (ADS), the latest in a series of simulation training courses designed to challenge experienced drivers.
January 18, 2021
Virtual Driver Interactive Launches Simulation-Based Risk Mitigation Program, Advanced Driver Safety, Focused on Reducing APMM- El Dorado Hills, CA – January 18, 2021 - Virtual Driver Interactive, Inc. (VDI), the leading provider of simulation-based driver training solutions, today announced that they are expanding their product portfolio by launching Advanced Driver Safety (ADS), the latest in a series of simulation-based driver training courses designed to challenge experienced fleet drivers. Focused on reducing accidents per million miles, ADS teaches collision avoidance techniques and provides validation to both drivers and organizations on the ability to utilize those techniques in real world situations.
October 27, 2020
Cemtrex Completes Acquisition of Training Simulation Technology Company, Virtual Driver Interactive - Cemtrex Inc. (NASDAQ: CETX, CETXP, CETXW), a technology company driving innovation in Internet of Things (IoT), security, machine vision & artificial intelligence, and augmented & virtual reality, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Virtual Driver Interactive (“VDI”), a California based provider of innovative driver training simulation solutions.
February 12, 2019
Do you know someone who still uses a "flip phone"?
I'm sure you do but what does that have to do with driving simulators?
Any organization that owns a driving simulator knows that they are not inexpensive. It is only natural to want to use it as long as you can to maximize your investment, right? That's just what the owner of the flip phone says, "I paid good money for this and it still works".
Well, simulator training effectiveness has changed dramatically over the years and if your system is older than the iPhone 5 (2013), you are seriously missing out on all the modern features. To make matters worse, your existing simulation vendor (unless it is us) does not provide you with periodic updates for features and fixes! There are many $10,000+ "flip phone" grade simulators out there running antiquated Microsoft operating systems, non-HD screens and clunky cockpit drive-in movie style experiences for the teens. If you want students to realize safety is important, then the system should demonstrate that you believe it is too!
by Bob Davis, CEO & President of Virtual Driver Interactive
February 4, 2019
I didn't see that coming!" Famous last words after a crash. So why is that teens have the best vision and the best reactions but absolutely the worst crash stats? It comes down to scanning techniques. The more "focused" a person gets the more they tend to stare at a fixed point. Since teens realize they lack experience, they tend to narrowly focus their vision on the car in front of them. Good adult drivers realize that dangers and surprises tend to come from many places that are NOT in front of you:
- the pedestrian about to walk out into the crosswalk,
- the car approaching the intersection much too fast or
- the motorcycle that is about to pass you unexpectedly that you can only see in the rear view mirror.
So at VDI we decided that having a very wide field of view (sort of peripheral vision) is really, really important to learning safe driving. For our simulators, wow, you can look left and right and even "turn your head" to see way down the street. And we measure if you did! When we are done with them they KNOW to look all around, left, right, mirrors, and even behind the car before they get in the car. So from now on they might not see the note you left them about taking out the dog or cleaning up their room, but they will see that pedestrian!
by Bob Davis, CEO & President of Virtual Driver Interactive
January 28, 2019
It is a common misconception that once teens pass their driver’s license test they have proven they can drive safely. After all, that's what the test is about right? Well, no, not even close. The role of the DMVs, Department of Motor Vehicles, around the country is more about passing the minimum bar, and I mean the minimum amount of knowledge and competency to get your license. In most states, teens know beforehand the route they will taking during their test. And many intentionally avoid left hand turns. Really? If the inspectors thought the teen was safe to drive why avoid left hand turns? Or rain? Or night? Web-based driver training companies are trying to make it as EASY as possible to get your license. On YouTube you can look up many of the DMV tests state by state and they have all the questions and the answers clearly laid out on video assuring the teens only need to repeat the answers they know are required.
Why make it so easy to go out and do the most dangerous thing they'll ever do? While it might make a parent feel better that their teen has a license - please, please don't consider them fully capable of driving safely!
By Bob Davis, CEO & President of Virtual Driver Interactive
January 22, 2019
We know that everyone learns better when they are really engaged. That applies to learning how to learning how to drive as well. When it comes to "just driving around" even though you may be getting more experience, it still might seem pointless. For the current generation of teens, they've played many games where the length of the challenge is limited by their "Life Bar". In other words, if you are successful (like not getting shot) then you get to play the game longer. So we thought, WOW, what a great idea for teen driver training. Now, Virtual Driving Essentials and Driving XE, our teen driver training products, have real time "life bars" running across the top of the monitors. Safe driving earns you more time and making any errors that increase your likelihood of a crash deduct from your bar as they happen. Kids don't care about a score after they are done - they care about their score AS THEY drive. Plus, our company cares about keeping teens safe so the "life bar" holds great meaning to all of us.Because of the way the teenage brain develops, involving teens in something active offers greater chance of achieving higher levels of engagement.
By Bob Davis, CEO & President of Virtual Driver InteractiveJanuary 16, 2019
Fleet Management: The Cars or the Drivers?
There are many publications, trade shows and job titles that are about "Fleet Safety or Fleet Management". Some years back we thought, "this is great, these people really care about crashes." Well, the answer is "sort of".
It is all too common for "fleet" to mean really only the cost of the vehicle, gas costs, leasing terms and other asset management metrics. I'm not saying those aren't important but they never seem to include the driver involved. Your employee, the one with the family that faithfully does their job every day. Where is the department that takes the same amount of time and attention to the employee as the key "asset" they need to protect? At this point we can divide up a typical large company. HR responsible for the people? Nope, not when it comes to driving. Fleet safety? Nope, they buy, sell, maintain and repair vehicles. Risk management (sounds right doesn't it), no chance except to the extent it affects insurance policies. You would think "legal" would care since multimillion dollar lawsuits are not uncommon in traffic related deaths. Never once hear of them focused on avoiding the crashes that created the liability. Worse yet, companies that DO have some driver training offer it to only those who "drive for the job". These are the same companies that often offer gym memberships; wellness programs; CPR courses and other services that are focused on keeping employees happy and healthy. And yet, a significant reason for an employee to miss work for an extended period of time is related to themselves or their family member being in a car crash.
Where is the driving wellness initiative?
by Bob Davis, CEO & President of Virtual Driver Interactive Virtual Hazard Detection: Corporate Fleet Driver Safety Training [embed]https://vimeo.com/112231426[/embed]December 12, 2018
Driving simulators have dramatically improved over the last several years. The 1950’s Aetna Drivotrainer simulator (pictured) was a combination of an automobile simulator and a movie designed for behind-the-wheel instruction in driver training classroom. Believe it or not, even today simulators still exist on the market that use the same concept! Just project a movie of a highway on a large screen in front of a classroom and have the students “drive” along in their simulators. While somewhat entertaining, it is certainly does not provide the most engaging user learning experience.
Unlike driving simulators of the past, today’s virtual trainers are much more targeted and effective at transferring training in a shorter period of time with far less expense. Virtual Driver Interactive (VDI) simulators use cutting edge graphics computing power and monitor technology ensuring students are immersed in an engaging training session. Our software programs showcase the very best combination of learning techniques, features and functions as well as the very latest in graphical engines providing superior visuals.
So if you want to train your students in the most effective manner possible, it’s time to update your driving simulator. That was then and this is now.
