Driving Safety Research Institute

02/11/2026

By leveraging the National Advanced Driving Simulator, UI alumnus and staff like Dan Negrut and Chris Schwarz are simulating the complex "human factor" challenges of lunar exploration—from low-gravity handling to navigating the moon’s unique shadows.

Read the full article from The Daily Iowan:

https://dailyiowan.com/2026/02/10/ui-alumni-and-staff-contribute-to-nasas-lunar-rover-research/

University of Iowa Alumni University of Iowa College of Engineering

NASA is launching the second mission of the Artemis campaign to explore more of the moon than ever before, and University of Iowa staff and alumni are helping to make the lunar expeditions possible by developing lunar terrain vehicle simulations. According to NASA, Artemis II could launch as early a...

02/04/2026

This past year, we drove on the moon! (In simulation, anyway.)

Director of engineering and modeling research Chris Schwarz appeared on Iowa Public Radio's 'River to River' talking about our work turning the NADS-1 simulator into a moon rover simulation.

Listen to the episode here:
https://www.iowapublicradio.org/podcast/river-to-river/2026-02-04/remembering-public-health-pioneer-dr-bill-foege

University of Iowa College of Engineering

01/15/2026

"It’s an amazing group of talented, hard-working people. And they’re doing some really amazing things right here in the heart of Iowa, at the University of Iowa."
—Omar Ahmad, DSRI deputy director

Watch a new video highlighting our important work at:

Explore the University of Iowa’s cutting-edge driving research and how it’s shaping the future of road safety.More on the University of Iowa’s Driving Safety...

01/05/2026

Our 2025 Year in Review is here! ✨🚗

It’s been a busy year at the University of Iowa Driving Safety Research Institute, and we’re excited to share what we’ve been up to. Our new 2025 Year in Review highlights some of the research, people, and projects that made the year so memorable, including:

🔹 Alcohol impairment and distraction research
🔹 How drivers understand advanced driver assistance systems
🔹 Pushing simulation science forward—from linked simulators to simulating the moon 🌙
🔹 What pickup truck crashes have in common
🔹 New features added to miniSim
🔹 Celebrating our students
🔹 A behind-the-scenes look at the mechanical team powering NADS-1
🔹 From Iowa to F1: The Movie: how UI research helped shape driving simulators around the world

…and more!

👉 Check it out here: https://issuu.com/uiowaengineering/docs/2025_driving_safety_research_institute_annual_repo

Thanks for being part of our journey—here’s to another year of driving research that makes a difference!

University of Iowa College of Engineering NHTSA Iowa Department of Transportation

Research project summaries and accomplishments from 2025

12/31/2025

Grateful this change is going into effect for the state of Iowa.

Starting Jan. 1, Iowa drivers could be pulled over for something many admit they do every day: holding their phone while behind the wheel.

12/15/2025

When audiences watch F1: The Movie, they’re seeing more than fast cars and a high-tech driving simulator. They’re witnessing the power of University of Iowa innovation: The vehicle dynamics research used in motion-based driving simulators around the world has roots at the University of Iowa.

Read more: https://dsri.uiowa.edu/news/2025/12/iowa-f1

11/11/2025

We are honored to announce a transformative pledge of $250,000 from engineering alumnus Raju S. Dandu (MS ’78). His visionary gift establishes the Raju S. Dandu DSRI Strategic Initiative Fund, providing $50,000 annually over the next five years to fuel innovation in driving safety research.
This flexible fund will empower DSRI to:
✅ Acquire cutting-edge technology
✅ Launch pilot projects
✅ Strengthen global collaborations
✅ Enhance infrastructure
As DSRI Director Dan McGehee shared, “This is a game-changing gift that allows us to think bigger and move faster.” We are deeply grateful to Mr. Dandu, thank you!

10/27/2025

Thank you for your interest in our study evaluating different vehicle sensors and their ability to detect and distinguish different types of impairment. In order to complete the online eligibility questionnaire for this study, you must be age 18 or older.Are you 18 or older?

09/19/2025

Our deputy director Omar Ahmad commented on the Aurora trucks now running autonomously on Texas roads:

Under current federal law, truck drivers may drive for no more than 11 hours before taking at least 10 hours' rest. But what if the truck itself did a good share of the driving?

09/17/2025

We were happy to host a group of staff members from across the university yesterday as part of the university's "Discover Your University" tour series! Thanks for joining us!

08/25/2025

Last week, our miniSim™ team completed the move of North Carolina State University’s three DSRI miniSim Driving Simulator systems to a new lab space located in Fitts-Woolard Hall on the beautiful Centennial Campus. NCSU Professor Danjue Chen’s research includes investigating the human-cyber-physical system of humans and smart vehicles. The simulators can be used either individually or together to enable the drivers to interact within the same virtual environment. Unique features include an interface for operation by a single researcher, an integrated display control system, and a custom audio system for driver monitoring and communication. Visit the miniSim website for more details about our driving simulators: https://www.nads-sc.uiowa.edu/minisim/

08/01/2025

Receive up to $820 for time and travel to participate in an alcohol-related driving study in our driving simulator. This study tests vehicle sensors and their ability to detect alcohol impairment. You may qualify if you:
• Are 38–51 or 55–68 years old
• Are in good health
• Are a drinker willing to consume enough alcohol to be above the legal limit
• Hold a valid U.S. driver’s license

You’ll need to complete four visits to the University of Iowa Driving Safety Research Institute: one 2-hour screening visit, two 8-hour daytime visits, and one 8-hour overnight visit.

Interested? Fill out the survey at https://bit.ly/Alcohol-DMS

Please share with others! Email us at [email protected] with questions.

Thank you for your interest in our study evaluating different vehicle sensors and their ability to detect and distinguish different types of impairment. In order to complete the online eligibility questionnaire for this study, you must be age 18 or older.Are you 18 or older?