Effect of Listening to Music as a Function of Driving Complexity: A Simulator Study on the Differing Effects of Music on Different Driving Tasks

Research in regards to music’s effects on driving performance has been mixed. Previous research has found that music adds to mental workload. Other research has found that high mental workload is related to poorer driving performance in simulation. In this study, mental workload was manipulated by varying visual complexity and type of task (i.e., car-following or braking for unexpected obstacles). It was found that steering variance and delay in carfollowing response were reduced by music under low-workload conditions, while number of collisions with cars and number of lane excursions were increased under high-workload conditions. A practice effect was also found, with participants performing better when listening to music with more practice