As a global fleet operation, with more than 3,000 drivers across the world, Anglian Water has experienced difficulties in training its employees to a consistently high safety standard. This is largely due to physical distances between the drivers and head office, the limited availability of instructors and a lack of accessible training sites.
Anglian Water’s virtual reality (VR) training is a scalable, multi-subject driver training programme that encourages best practice and shares key safety messages with employees across the world.[1]
VR training expands on and improves in-house training courses through a series of informative and up-to-date modules, on subjects ranging from safe driving to vehicle inspections.
VR workshops can be delivered to groups of 35 trainees at a time. Trainees wear interactive mobile headsets that link to a smartphone. The Samsung GearVR was chosen for the level of functionality and control it offered.
“Anglian Water’s virtual reality (VR) training is a scalable, multi-subject driver training programme that encourages best practice and shares key safety messages with employees across the world.”
Anglian Water’s VR training is a targeted educational programme focused on key areas of risk, but is flexible enough to be adapted to suit individual driver’s weaknesses. Fleet managers can select modules from a wide range of topics.
To pass the course, trainees must complete the following modules:
Vehicle inspection. The driver is required to examine a vehicle with an identical layout to those used by Anglian Water. Using the VR system, the driver moves around the vehicle, to identify incorrectly fitted, unroadworthy or worn out components in need of replacement, or to confirm that each component is roadworthy. Scoring is based on the driver’s ability to accurately and routinely inspect the vehicle.
Observational driving (360°). The driver carries out a series of observational tasks while ‘travelling’ along a busy route. The driver is asked to spot hazards, judge speed limits and identify street signs. VR technology monitors the driver’s observations and tracks eye movement, and scores the driver according to routine awareness, traffic awareness and road awareness.
Anglian Water also plans to introduce training that shows crash test experiences/footage of driver incidents to discourage drivers from unsafe driving behaviour. This training is still being developed.
[1] Fleet News (2018) Anglian Water to begin safer driver training with virtual reality
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