
Digital camera-based rear‑view systems are increasingly introduced as alternatives to traditional mirrors, offering potential benefits such as improved aerodynamics, reduced blind spots, and enhanced visibility. However, these systems alter the visual cues available to drivers by presenting a fixed monocular image, which might affect how distance and approach speed are judged. This study examines how driver-age influences distance estimation and decisions related to overtaking, while also assessing the impact of camera field of view and camera height. Fifty‑eight licensed car drivers viewed thirty‑six high‑resolution driving clips showing forward‑road scenes and digital rear‑view perspectives with systematically varied camera settings. They completed two tasks: judging the distance of an approaching vehicle and indicating the last moment at which a lane change would be considered safe. Age influenced both perceptual judgements and lane‑change decisions, though not always in the expected direction. Older drivers showed smaller overall errors, yet at wider fields of view they often shifted into overestimation, while younger drivers maintained conservative underestimation. Older drivers nevertheless selected more cautious lane‑change timings in certain conditions. Apparent accuracy advantages may reflect reduced bias rather than consistently safer perception; The results highlight the importance of accounting for user diversity when evaluating camera-based rear‑view systems and developing age‑inclusive design strategies.

This study investigates how different camera perspectives presented in digital rear-view mirrors in vehicles, also known as Camera Monitor Systems, impact drivers’ distance judgment and decision-making in dynamic driving scenarios. The study examines (1) the effects of field of view and (2) camera height on drivers' ability to judge distances to rearward vehicles and to select safe gaps in potentially hazardous situations. A controlled lab-based video experiment was conducted, involving 27 participants who performed distance estimations and last safe gap selections using a simulated side-view mirror display. Participants viewed prerecorded driving scenarios with varying combinations of field of view (40°, 76°, 112°) and camera heights (1 meter, 2.3 meter). No significant effects were found for camera height, but wider field of views led to more accurate distance estimations. However, the use of a wider field of view also increased the risk of potentially dangerous overestimations of distance, as evidenced by the last safe gap results. This suggests that a wider field of view leads to the selection of smaller and potentially risky gaps. Conversely, narrow field of views resulted in underestimations of distance, potentially leading to overly cautious and less efficient driving decisions. These findings inform Camera Monitor Systems design guidelines on how to improve driver perception and road safety, to reduce accidents from vehicle distance misjudgments.

Sublimity has long been a theme in aesthetics, as one of the human emotions experienced when perceiving vastness, terror, or ambiguity. This study investigated the visual conditions that evoke sublimity using virtual reality (VR). Participants observed sublime content, developed based on previous research, under two factors conditions of (1) wide or narrow fields of view (FOV), and (2) 2D or 3D video presentations. We collected psycho-physiological evaluations from the participants. The results demonstrated that a wider FOV enhanced the perception of sublimity and pleasantness. In particular, gaze fixation time tended to increase under conditions of wider FOV and 3D presentation, supporting the effect of sublimity in VR. This suggests the potential of VR as a valuable tool for amplifying the experience of sublimity.