The role of spatial knowledge in guiding high-speed steering
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Authors
Roessling, Grace, Catherine
Issue Date
2025-12
Type
Electronic thesis
Thesis
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Cognitive science
Alternative Title
Abstract
It is well established that online visual information plays a critical role in the guidance of high-speed steering during automobile driving. Visual information can inform the driver of their current speed and heading direction, as well as their lane position relative to the road structure, and the upcoming road curvature. However, relatively little is known about the role of spatial knowledge – specifically, previously acquired knowledge about the geometry of the road -- in the control of high-speed steering. This thesis investigates whether spatial knowledge plays a role in guiding high-speed steering, and if so, the nature of such knowledge. Chapter 1 introduces fundamental concepts from control theory, dynamical systems, and ecological psychology to situate the thesis within relevant theoretical frameworks. Chapter 2 reviews two bodies of literature: visual control of high-speed steering and spatial navigation. Chapter 3 presents Experiment 1, a pilot study examining how performance metrics differ between drivers exposed to a track once versus numerous times. Chapter 4 describes Experiment 2, a refined replication addressing confounds and limitations from Experiment 1. Chapter 5 describes Experiment 3, which investigates the nature of spatial knowledge guiding high-speed steering. Chapter 6 offers a general discussion of the key findings across all three experiments and outlines future research directions. There are three main findings yielded by this research. First, spatial knowledge influences high-speed steering under low visibility conditions, as drivers familiar with a given track exhibit greater steering stability and reduced lane position variability. Second, the nature of spatial knowledge that guides steering primarily consists of associations between landmarks and segments of road geometry. Third, drivers can spontaneously construct a top-down, allocentric representation of a given track’s geometry.
Description
December2025
School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences
School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences
Full Citation
Publisher
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY