Site Planning Design and Practical Scheme for Automobile Driving Simulators

With the accelerated digital transformation of the motor vehicle driving training industry, automobile driving simulators have become core teaching equipment for driving training institutions, traffic colleges, and corporate safety training. Compared with traditional real-vehicle training, simulated driving training has prominent advantages including zero accident risk, low energy consumption, reproducible complex road conditions, and freedom from weather and site restrictions. It can efficiently complete full-scenario training such as basic driving operation, emergency response, and adaptation to complex road conditions. As the core foundation for the application of simulators, site planning directly determines equipment operation stability, teaching efficiency, learner experience, and site safety standardization. Scientific and reasonable site planning enables efficient equipment layout, clear functional zoning, and smooth teaching processes. Meanwhile, it complies with the national standard of Technical Requirements for Motor Vehicle Driver Training Fields, avoiding problems such as messy site layout, equipment interference, and potential safety hazards. Combining industry specifications and practical experience, this paper systematically expounds the planning principles, zonal layout, facility construction, safety management, and operation and maintenance optimization schemes of automobile driving simulator sites, providing a standardized reference for the construction of various simulated driving training sites.

I. Core Significance of Driving Simulator Site Planning

A driving simulator site is not a simple space for equipment placement, but a professional functional site integrating teaching, practical training, equipment operation and maintenance, and safety management. Its planning quality directly affects the overall effect of simulated training. In the traditional driving training mode, real-vehicle training is restricted by many factors such as site area, weather conditions, vehicle wear and tear, and safety risks, making it difficult to carry out large-scale basic teaching and high-risk scenario training. The standardized planning of simulator sites thoroughly solves these industrial pain points.

From the perspective of teaching, reasonable site zoning realizes hierarchical teaching and large-scale practical training, adapting to diverse training needs including basic operation training for novice learners, emergency ability improvement for experienced drivers, and special scenario training for professional drivers. It greatly improves the standardization and efficiency of teaching. From the perspective of equipment operation and maintenance, scientific spatial layout, circuit planning, and environmental management effectively reduce the loss of simulator software and hardware, avoid mutual interference between devices, extend equipment service life, and lower operation and maintenance costs. From the perspective of safety compliance, standardized site planning meets the relevant specifications for fire protection, power utilization, and teaching site construction, eliminating potential risks such as power hazards, personnel congestion, and equipment tipping, and ensuring safe and orderly training. In addition, standardized simulated sites complement real-vehicle training sites, building a modern driving training system of “simulation first, real-vehicle consolidation, and virtual-real integration”, and promoting the high-quality development of the driving training industry.

II. General Principles of Site Planning

The planning of driving simulator sites must strictly abide by national standards, fit teaching demands, and balance safety and practicality. Combined with equipment characteristics and training scenarios, four core planning principles are established to ensure scientific, compliant, efficient and practical site construction.

First, the principle of compliance and standardization. Site construction shall strictly follow GB/T 30341-2025 Technical Requirements for Motor Vehicle Driver Training Fields, implementing standards for site hardening, spatial dimensions, sign setting, and road simulation parameters. It ensures that site layout, facility configuration, and training processes comply with industrial compliance requirements and guarantee valid training qualifications. Meanwhile, site bearing capacity, power supply, lighting and other basic conditions shall be matched with the technical parameters of simulator equipment.

Second, the principle of functional adaptation. Functional areas are divided according to simulator types (basic fixed simulators, three-degree-of-freedom dynamic simulators, VR panoramic simulators) and training scenarios (standard driving test training, complex road condition training, emergency accident disposal, special vehicle training), so as to highly adapt equipment layout to teaching scenarios and meet diverse functions including individual training, large-scale group training, teaching demonstration, and assessment and evaluation.

Third, the principle of safety and efficiency. Site planning gives priority to ensuring the safety of personnel passage, equipment operation and emergency evacuation. It reasonably controls equipment spacing and passage width, standardizes the laying of water and power circuits, and avoids risks such as power overload, equipment collision and personnel congestion. Meanwhile, it optimizes site flow lines to ensure efficient and smooth whole processes of learner admission, training, departure and equipment maintenance, maximizing the utilization of site space.

Fourth, the principle of sustainable development. The site layout reserves expansion space to adapt to future equipment upgrading, quantity expansion and new training scenario demands. In addition, it adopts optimized design for ventilation, noise reduction and temperature control, building a comfortable, long-term and iterable professional training site.

III. Overall Functional Zoning and Layout Planning of the Site

Combined with the teaching process and equipment functions of simulated driving training, a standardized simulator site is divided into five core functional areas: equipment training area, teaching management area, equipment operation and maintenance area, leisure waiting area, and emergency evacuation area. Each area has independent functions and connected flow lines, realizing standardized zoning and integrated overall layout.

3.1 Core Equipment Training Area

As the core functional area of the site, the equipment training area is used to place various driving simulators and carry out daily training and teaching, occupying more than 70% of the total site space. The layout of this area requires differentiated design based on equipment types with strictly controlled spacing and spatial dimensions. For basic fixed simulators, the occupied space of a single device shall not be less than 2.5m×1.8m, with a horizontal spacing of no less than 0.8m between adjacent devices and a longitudinal operation passage width of no less than 1.2m. This ensures unobstructed limb movement for learners and avoids mutual interference between adjacent devices. For three-degree-of-freedom dynamic simulators and VR panoramic dynamic simulators with dynamic swinging and panoramic display functions, the occupied space is expanded to no less than 3.5m×3m per unit, with a safety spacing of more than 1.5m between devices to prevent collision risks during equipment operation.

Meanwhile, the training area needs to adapt to the terrain and road condition modeling requirements of simulation scenarios. In accordance with national standard training subjects, special scenario simulation space is reserved to support standardized training items including ramps, pits and humps, rough roads, slippery roads and high-speed loop roads. The parameters of standard ramps and uneven roads strictly conform to GB/T 12539-2018 Vehicle Performance Test Standards. The ground of the training area adopts high-strength hardened floor with flat, wear-resistant, anti-slip and compression-resistant properties, meeting the load-bearing requirements for equipment fixed installation and dynamic operation. The ground is free of protrusions and ponding to ensure stable equipment operation. In addition, devices in the training area are arranged in a regular matrix with centralized placement of the same type of equipment, facilitating unified teaching and centralized management and improving the efficiency of large-scale training.

3.2 Teaching Management Area

Adjacent to the front end of the training area, the teaching management area serves as the core area for instructors’ teaching, real-time monitoring, data statistics and assessment scoring. The floor area is allocated according to the training scale: 15-20㎡ for small and medium-sized sites and 30-50㎡ for large-scale batch training sites. A centralized management platform is built in this area, equipped with teaching management computers, high-definition monitoring displays, data statistical terminals and audio broadcasting systems. It realizes real-time monitoring of equipment status, collection of learner operation data, synchronous display of training pictures and remote parameter adjustment for all simulators.

The management area is designed with a wide field of vision to fully observe learners’ operation in the training area, facilitating instructors’ real-time guidance and error correction. It is also equipped with teaching demonstration equipment, which can synchronously display standard operation procedures, accident cases and key points of complex road condition disposal through large screens, combining centralized teaching with one-on-one guidance. A special teaching passage of more than 1.5m wide is reserved between the management area and the training area to facilitate instructors’ patrol guidance without interfering with normal training.

3.3 Equipment Operation and Maintenance Area

As a dedicated supporting area, the equipment operation and maintenance area is mainly used to store simulator maintenance tools, spare parts, charging equipment and dust covers. It also serves as an exclusive space for equipment maintenance, system upgrading and data backup, avoiding interference with normal teaching caused by maintenance operations. Independently set away from the core training area, this area covers 10-15㎡, equipped with layered storage cabinets, tool operation tables and special detection sockets for classified storage of circuit accessories, sensors, display screen spare parts and other consumables.

The operation and maintenance area is treated with moisture-proof, dust-proof and anti-static measures, with dry and ventilated walls, insulated and anti-slip floors, and special grounding devices to provide a safe environment for equipment maintenance and system debugging. A special area for storing equipment operation and maintenance ledgers is set up to record equipment maintenance, inspection and upgrading records, realizing standardized and traceable equipment management.

3.4 Leisure Waiting Area

Located at the site entrance, the leisure waiting area is a supporting area for learner check-in, waiting, pre-class training and after-class review, realizing personnel flow diversion and preventing untrained learners from entering the training area to interfere with teaching. The area is equipped with check-in terminals, rest seats, publicity boards and drinking water facilities, posted with training rules, safety operation specifications, training subject procedures and traffic safety knowledge.

A physical partition is adopted between the waiting area and the training area with a transparent design, which ensures independent zoning and convenient overall management. Combined with the teaching rhythm, pre-class theoretical preview and safety knowledge lectures can be carried out in this area to realize seamless connection between theoretical learning and simulated training, improving overall teaching efficiency.

3.5 Emergency Evacuation Area

As an essential safety guarantee area of the site, the emergency evacuation area is planned in strict accordance with fire protection specifications with dedicated unobstructed emergency passages and evacuation assembly spaces. The main site passage is no less than 2m wide, and secondary passages are no less than 1.2m wide. No equipment or sundries are allowed to be placed in the passages to ensure rapid personnel evacuation in emergencies. Two-way emergency exits are set at both ends of the site, equipped with emergency lighting, evacuation indicator signs, fire extinguishers and first-aid kits. An open assembly space is reserved outside the exits to meet full-staff evacuation needs. In addition, grouped emergency passages are reserved for every 5 devices in the training area to refine evacuation zoning and improve emergency disposal efficiency.

IV. Construction Specifications for Site Supporting Facilities

Complete supporting facilities are the foundation for stable site operation and orderly teaching. Standardized construction is carried out from four dimensions: water and power supply, environmental optimization, safety protection, and sign layout to fully adapt to training demands.

4.1 Water and Power Supply System Planning

The water and power supply system is the core guarantee for equipment operation, which shall follow strict safety power utilization specifications to realize special line allocation and reasonable layout. In terms of power supply, all driving simulators are equipped with independent special power supply circuits adopting three-phase five-wire system, avoiding voltage instability and overload tripping caused by multiple devices sharing one circuit. Each device is fitted with an independent leakage protector and voltage-stabilized socket, with the grounding resistance controlled within 4Ω to effectively prevent static electricity and electric leakage. All circuits are laid as concealed wires or stored in flame-retardant wire grooves to eliminate exposed and disordered circuits and prevent potential safety hazards caused by trampling and wear. Meanwhile, a power margin of more than 20% is reserved according to the total equipment power to adapt to the power demand of subsequent equipment expansion and system upgrading.

In terms of water supply, water supply points are only reserved in the waiting area and operation and maintenance area, while no water source is set in the training area to avoid equipment short circuit caused by moisture. The site floor is designed with drainage slopes and concealed drainage channels to prevent ponding and equipment moisture and keep the site dry and tidy.

4.2 Environmental Optimization Construction

Simulated driving training has high requirements on site environment. A good environment can improve learners’ training experience and reduce equipment loss. In terms of lighting, the site gives priority to natural lighting, supplemented by soft LED fill-in lights to ensure uniform and gentle overall light. It avoids strong light directly irradiating the simulator display screen to prevent reflection affecting the operation view and visual fatigue caused by dim light. In terms of ventilation, the site is equipped with fresh air systems or high-power ventilation equipment to ensure air circulation, relieve stuffiness during long-term indoor training, and reduce heat accumulation from equipment operation.

In terms of noise reduction, simulator operation produces slight mechanical noise and sound effects. Sound-absorbing materials are paved on site walls and ceilings to reduce indoor noise and avoid overlapping noise interfering with teaching order. In terms of temperature control, air conditioning systems are equipped to keep the site temperature constant at 18-26℃, meeting the temperature requirements for stable operation of electronic equipment and improving learners’ training comfort.

4.3 Safety Protection Facility Configuration

All-round site safety management is implemented to build a three-level protection system covering fire protection, monitoring and anti-theft. In terms of fire protection, dry powder fire extinguishers and fire hydrants are evenly placed in strict accordance with indoor fire protection standards, equipped with emergency sandbags and flame-retardant baffles. The effectiveness of fire-fighting facilities is checked regularly. Flammable and explosive materials are prohibited from being stacked in the site, and open fire operation is forbidden. In terms of monitoring, high-definition cameras are fully covered in the site without blind spots. The monitoring system is linked with the teaching management platform to record the whole training process in real time, facilitating accident traceability and teaching review. In terms of anti-theft, site doors and windows are equipped with anti-theft facilities, and exclusive locks are set for the operation and maintenance area and equipment storage area to close the site after working hours and ensure the safety of equipment and materials. Meanwhile, smoke and temperature induction alarm devices are installed to realize early warning of potential hazards.

4.4 Sign Layout

In accordance with national standard site construction requirements, standardized signs are arranged in the site to fully cover functional guidance, safety warning and system publicity. Regional indicator boards are set for each functional area to clearly mark the training area, management area, operation and maintenance area and emergency passages. Safety operation specifications, training subject instructions and prohibition warning signs are posted in the training area; evacuation direction signs, safety exit signs and no-congestion signs are set at passages and exits; training management rules, equipment maintenance systems and safety emergency plans are publicly displayed on walls. All signs are placed in eye-catching positions with clear fonts, conforming to the standardization construction requirements of driving training sites and improving the overall standardized level of the site.

V. Site Safety Management and Operation & Maintenance Optimization Strategies

Site planning includes not only hardware layout and construction, but also a complete set of standardized safety management and daily operation & maintenance systems to ensure long-term safe, efficient and stable site operation.

In terms of safety management, a regular site safety inspection system is established. Daily inspections of power circuits, equipment status, fire-fighting facilities and passage smoothness are carried out before training, and power cut-off, hazard investigation and site cleaning are completed after daily training. The training operation process is strictly standardized. Learners must complete safety training before using equipment and operate in accordance with specifications, with illegal operation and violent equipment collision prohibited. A comprehensive emergency disposal plan is formulated for scenarios such as electric leakage, equipment failure, personnel discomfort and sudden fire, clarifying disposal procedures and responsible personnel. Regular emergency drills are conducted to improve emergency response capabilities. In addition, personnel access control is implemented. Non-training personnel and non-staff are prohibited from entering the core training area to avoid interference with teaching and potential safety hazards.

In terms of operation and maintenance optimization, a hierarchical equipment maintenance system is established. Daily maintenance includes equipment surface cleaning, circuit inspection and system restart detection; weekly maintenance includes precise debugging of sensors, display screens and dynamic systems; monthly maintenance includes in-depth overhaul, data backup and system upgrading to timely eliminate software and hardware faults. Meanwhile, site space management is optimized by regularly sorting out materials in the operation and maintenance area, arranging equipment in the training area and cleaning site sundries to keep the site tidy and standardized. The site layout is dynamically optimized according to teaching demands, adjusting equipment placement and scenario parameters to adapt to new driving test regulations, new road conditions and emergency training needs. In addition, site operation and maintenance files are established to record equipment maintenance, site rectification and hazard investigation, realizing refined and normalized management.

VI. Conclusion

The site planning of automobile driving simulators is the core foundation of the modern simulated driving training system. Its scientificity and standardization directly determine training quality, equipment service life and site safety. Systematic site planning takes compliance standards as the bottom line, teaching demands as the core, and safety and efficiency as the goal. It builds a standardized, professional and intelligent simulated training site through reasonable functional zoning, complete supporting facilities and strict management and maintenance. The standardized simulator site can give full play to the advantages of simulated training, make up for the shortcomings of traditional real-vehicle training, reduce training costs, improve teaching efficiency and avoid training risks, providing high-quality site support for drivers’ basic operation training, emergency ability improvement and complex road condition adaptation training. In the future, with the continuous upgrading of driving simulation technology, site planning will be further optimized. Combined with new technologies such as VR real-scene simulation, big data teaching management and intelligent scenario reproduction, it will further improve site functional layout and promote the digital, standardized and efficient development of driving training.