Prospective memory abilities while driving in adults with an autism spectrum disorder. Paper presented at “the 18th European Conference on Developmental Psychology” in Utrecht, the Netherlands

Aim. Driving is an important step towards autonomy. The driving task consists of several subtasks, running in
parallel. This requires the ability to switch in a smooth manner (e.g., shifting, steering, changing lanes, and
keeping traffic rules into account). Therefore, driving is a complex goal-directed task that places high demands
on perceptual, cognitive, and motor processes. The little research that exists suggests that people with ASD
experience difficulties more specifically in complex driving situations, requiring multi-tasking and inducing
increased cognitive load. Furthermore, it is not only necessary to handle the vehicle, but also to navigate
through rural, urban, and highway traffic environments while concurrently remembering appointments and
obeying a schedule. People with ASD however experience difficulties with coordinating and sequencing
activities, and with planning ahead. Following this, prospective memory (PM) might interfere with driving. PM
is the ability to remember to carry out intended actions in the future while being engaged in other ongoing
activities. Two subtypes of PM are event-based PM (EBPM) and time-based PM (TBPM). The former refers to
the execution of intentions at certain events (i.e., prospective cues), the latter refers to the execution of
intentions at certain times.
Methods. This driving simulator study aims to investigate PM (i.e., EBPM and TBPM) as an underlying
mechanism of driving in adults with ASD (i.e., 18-62 years old). To this end, we translated several EBPM and time-based PM (TBPM). The former refers to
the execution of intentions at certain events (i.e., prospective cues), the latter refers to the execution of
intentions at certain times.
Methods. This driving simulator study aims to investigate PM (i.e., EBPM and TBPM) as an underlying
mechanism of driving in adults with ASD (i.e., 18-62 years old). To this end, we translated several EBPM and
TBPM tasks to a simulated driving environment. The influence of cognitive abilities (e.g., working memory, planning) is also investigated. A control group, balanced for age and gender, is included. The inclusion of a
broad age range allows the investigation of developmental cognitive differences.
Results. Data collection is ongoing and will be finished in February. The analyses are planned in March.