TRAVL driving simulator virtual worlds (part I): closed-course test tracks

Image of a virtual closed course track for vehicle dynamics education.

Published February 2, 2026

By CSEE staff

The Transportation Research and Visualization Laboratory (TRAVL) is home to two world-class driving simulators. These include the high-fidelity, full-motion simRING, outfitted with a full Mustang passenger cabin, and the smaller-scale miniSIM, designed for co-simulation applications, prototype driver testing and validation. 

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TRAVL has developed a series of virtual environments within these simulators, where participants can engage with diverse driving applications. Among these environments are a series of closed course test tracks (CCTT) that enable examination of a wide range of training and safety scenarios, typically in a traffic-free, “off-road” setting. 

All virtual environments are implemented using the C/C++ programming language with supporting tools such as OpenGL for graphics, OpenAL for audio, DirectX for driver controls, and POSIX multithreads and UDP sockets to communicate with motion systems. 

TRAVL’S suite of CCTT includes five primary driving worlds: 

  1. Skid Pad: a large, flat, circular pavement area used to test vehicle handling and to train drivers in car-control skills. It allows participants to safely practice maneuvers such as recovery from understeer and oversteer. 
  2. Figure 8: an extension of the skid pad concept into a larger track that enables turning maneuvers in clockwise and counterclockwise directions. 
  3. Quad-radial speedway: a racetrack with four distinct curves of varying radii and arc lengths, designed to examine complex vehicle handling
  4. Spencer Speedway (oval): an oval racetrack modeled after an existing configuration in Central New York. It enables practice of straight segments followed by 180-degree curved segments. 
  5. The Triple Curve: a triangular racetrack designed for repeated practice of straight segments and subsequent 120-degree curved segments. These environments have been used for vehicle dynamics education, targeted driver training and the study of human factors, including cognition, distractions and workload. These efforts are primarily funded by the National Science Foundation.

TRAVL staff and students continue to develop, expand and maintain these virtual environments, which have potential to support pilot studies and future grant applications for training, education and research. TRAVL is a core facility affiliated with the Stephen Still Institute for Sustainable Transportation and Logistics (SSISTL). Through its interdisciplinary research and graduate program, SSISTL fosters collaboration that advances knowledge and improves transportation systems.