The solution: a mixed reality driving simulator
As Traffic Officers work in high-pressure and high-stress environments, training plays a vital part in helping officers manage in these situations. To achieve this, MXT is creating a custom XR training experience that combines a Varjo headset, a motion rig and immersive sound design to put the user right behind the wheel. Once strapped in, a trainee will find themselves right behind the wheel of a National Highways’ Traffic Officer Vehicle (TOV), with access to all the controls, switches and buttons found in the real thing. From there, the user will be able to navigate a series of different road layouts.
“Realism is the name of the game here, so we want to create an experience that approximates the real situation as close as we can,” says MXT’s Lead Programmer, Cat Flynn outlining the main technological hurdles the team are navigating as part of the build. “At the most basic level, if a driver needs to reverse and do that using only their side mirrors, we want them to be able to do that accurately. It is important that we get well into the weeds on this one and really understand what they need to do, how, and in what circumstances.”
To ensure that National Highways have a tool that can help prep their officers for almost anything, MXT has sought to make an experience that’s as accessible and flexible as it possibly can be. In terms of hardware, the Varjo headsets ensure that the experience is as detailed and immersive as possible. Additionally MXT is collaborating with Motion Systems to create a state-of-the-art motion platform that replicates the conditions inside a National Highways’ TOV.
On the software side, MXT’s in-house software has been designed with flexibility and utility in mind, in order to deliver the right service to the client quickly and effectively. For example, the team can swiftly build accurate sections of UK roads as needed, while the in-built traffic management and environmental tools allow the accurate recreation of most conditions – from a quiet stretch of the M62 at 4 AM to the roar of the M25 during a rainy Friday morning rush hour.
