Research teams from universities around the world are modifying Grand Theft Auto V to test cycling warning systems, road design, and autonomous driving safety technologies. The game provides an open world with traffic, weather, and physics environments, allowing researchers to recreate complex traffic scenarios without exposing participants to real-world dangers.
Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences in Germany tested two prototypes for cycling safety. One handlebar device vibrates when a vehicle approaches from behind, with intensity increasing as the distance decreases; another vest uses vibrations to alert riders to surrounding traffic. Volunteers tested both devices while riding stationary bikes in a virtual Los Santos. Both effectively warned of approaching dangers, but neither has yet become a commercial product.
Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands combines the game with eye-tracking technology to observe cyclists' reactions to risks such as suddenly opened car doors or vehicles pulling out of parking spaces, aiming to provide data for safer road and intersection designs.
Autonomous driving is another area of research. The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology uses in-game collisions to train AI to identify dangerous drivers, while Eastern Michigan University tests AI decision-making systems across nine hazardous scenarios. Simulation results suggest a potential 24% reduction in life-threatening incidents. However, strong simulation performance does not guarantee equivalent results on real roads. The game's vast virtual environment and the ability for players to actively recreate extreme scenarios form a crucial foundation for these studies.