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TheDrivotrainer was anautomobiledrivingsimulator promoted by theAetna Insurance Company and widely used indriver training classes.[1]
As anautomobile insurer since 1902, Aetna had a financial interest in promotinghighway safety. The company committed to innovating new methods of driver instruction in 1935, when it introduced the "Reactometer", the first machine designed to recordmotorists'reaction time. The Reactometer was awarded theGrand Prix at theParis Exposition of 1937, after which it toured the United States as part of a highway safety exhibit, and was displayed at the1939 New York World's Fair.[1]
Aetna next developed the "Driverometer", a trainer which used colormotion pictures to simulate actual driving conditions and the "Roadometer", which provided a short motion picture test including most phases of automobile operation and provided a scorecard.[1]
In 1951, Aetna developed the Aetna Drivotrainer, the first combination of automobile simulator and motion pictures designed for behind-the-wheel instruction in drivers' training classrooms. The Drivotrainer classroom contained 15 small single seat "Aetnacars" equipped with controls as similar as possible to those used in actual automobiles. Thegas pedal changed the volume of the engine noise, thesteering wheel and theclutch andbrake pedals provided realistic resistance, even the seat mimicked an actual automobile seat, simulating a realistic on-road driving experience in the safety of the classroom. A motion picture projected on a large screen in front of the room provided the visual stimulus of a drive on streets and highways, while the students "drove" their simulators. Their responses were collected and recorded on a central unit for the instructor to monitor and correct.[1]
The complete course included 22 films produced by Aetna in its motion picture bureau, in collaboration with theNew York City Department of Education. The final exam film constituted a difficult 25-minuteroad test including many varied traffic situations and highway emergencies. These films were the first complete driver training course recorded on film to support classroom simulation.[1]
The fronts and sides of the Aetnacars were designed to give a general automotive impression, with nonfunctional features such as headlights and bumpers, somewhat similar to the design ofbumper cars and otherarcade rides. Over time, their appearance was periodically updated, and later versions were equipped with simulatedautomatic transmission controls, rather than clutches andmanual shift levers.The company also developed advanced driver improvement programs for theU.S. Postal Service and several states.[1]
In the late 1970s Aetna sold the Drivotrainer business to Doron Precision Systems, the company that manufactured the simulators. Aetna eventually sold itsproperty andcasualty insurance business, including automobile insurance, toThe Travelers Companies in 1996.[1]