That’s a great tribute to SCS Software: the truck simulation is so authentic that an element of the gameplay that influences the gameplay managed to catch my attention!

Euro Truck Simulator 2 (ETS2) isn’t just about driving around the roads of Europe with our huge vehicles and loads, not even swearing and messing up parking spaces. There’s also a bit of science in it. Martinka, a researcher at the Faculty of Textiles at the Technical University of Liberec in the Czech Republic (his first name is not even mentioned in the SCS Software blog post), has used ETS2 to simulate tired driving without endangering anyone. During the study, test subjects were placed in a steering wheel car seat and played Euro Truck Simulator 2 for up to seven hours without stopping. The goal was to develop a better way to more accurately detect when drivers are falling asleep. Martinka suggests an “intelligent shirt” that can track the wearer’s breathing patterns.

“Euro Truck Simulator 2 was the simplest and most practical solution because it reflects real driving conditions. The game allowed us to safely simulate fatigue. We needed a reliable platform to simulate long hours of driving, and the game provided just that. We drove continuously, replicating fatigue-inducing conditions, until we were truly exhausted and wanted to sleep. While modern cars often have fatigue sensors, they are not always accurate. Our smart T-shirt offers a more reliable solution. The sensors in the T-shirt are nearly invisible, washable, and far more accurate at detecting fatigue than standard car systems,” Martinka said.

There will be another study, again using Euro Truck Simulator 2, but this time SCS Software’s game will be used in Japan. Although the studio released American Truck Simulator in 2016 after ETS2, it has continued to support European driving with cosmetic items (such as the Greek Mythology Pack, which allows you to add a Medusa or Pegasus to your truck).

The game is effective when it has such uses.

Source: PCGamer