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Researchers at the University of Michigan are studying the ability of people with autism spectrum disorder to notice road hazards.
密西根大学的研究人员正在研究自闭症谱系障碍患者注意道路危险的能力。
The scientists plan to use their findings to help young automobile drivers improve their driving skills.
科学家计划利用他们的研究结论来帮助年轻的汽车司机提高他们的驾驶技能。
The effort will be the second part of a project supported by Ford Motor Co.
这将是福特汽车公司支持的一个项目的第二部分。
The project includes the university in Ann Arbor as well as a local driving school.
该项目包括位于安娜堡的密西根大学和当地的一所驾校。
The first part of the study included tests with driving simulation programs.
研究的第一部分包括驾驶模拟程序的测试。
The researchers found that students with autism spectrum disorder detected fewer hazards than those without the disorder.
研究人员发现，与没有患自闭症谱系障碍的学生相比，患有自闭症谱系障碍的学生察觉到的危险更少。
But lead researcher Elise Hodges said that some extra work behind the wheel helped the students drive more safely.
但首席研究员埃莉斯·霍奇斯表示，一些额外的驾驶操作帮助学生更安全地驾驶。
“Those folks that underwent training improved in two-thirds of hazards in the simulated drive,” said Hodges.
霍奇斯说：“那些接受过训练的人在模拟驾驶三分之二的危险中技能有所提高。”
She is a clinical associate professor in the University of Michigan’s neuropsychology program.
她是密西根大学神经心理学项目的临床副教授。
Tate Ellwood-Mielewski is among those who plan to return for part two of the study.
泰特·埃尔伍德-米列夫斯基是计划回来参加第二部分研究的人之一。
He is 23 years old and from Ann Arbor.
他23岁，来自安娜堡。
He was identified as having autism spectrum disorder when he was three years old.
他在三岁时被确诊患有自闭症谱系障碍。
“I do want to be able to drive ... and get places where I want to go,” Ellwood-Mielewski said.
埃尔伍德-米列夫斯基说：“我真的希望能够开车……去我想去的地方。”
His mother, Debbie Mielewski, helped bring together the partners to make the study happen.
他的母亲黛比·米列夫斯基帮助召集了合作伙伴，使这项研究得以进行。
Mielewski had been growing more concerned about her son’s future with no driver’s license.
米列夫斯基越来越担心没有驾照的儿子的未来。
She worried especially about what that would mean after she and his father die.
她特别担心在她和他的父亲去世后他会怎么样。
So, Mielewski, a sustainability expert at Ford, spoke with her boss in 2018.
因此，福特的可持续发展专家米列夫斯基在2018年与她的老板进行了交谈。
She asked her boss, “Would you support a program to help autistic spectrum kids to learn how to drive?”
她问她的老板，“你会支持一个帮助患有自闭症谱系障碍的儿童学习开车的项目吗？”
“And he immediately said, ‘Yes!’” Mielewski said.
米列夫斯基说：“他立刻说，‘是的！’”
Ann Arbor Academy, a school for students with learning and social differences, hosted driving lessons.
安娜堡学院是一所专为有学习和社交差异的学生开设的学校，它开设了驾驶课。
Hodges designed the simulated drives and oversaw the study.
霍奇斯设计了模拟驱动器并监督了这项研究。
Ford financed the research.
福特为这项研究提供了资金。
The goal, in part, was to provide a chance for those with autism spectrum disorder to improve their driving skills.
其部分目的是为自闭症谱系障碍患者提供一个提高驾驶技能的机会。
“Many of them … would like to drive, but getting from wanting to drive and being able to drive are two different things,” Hodges said.
霍奇斯说：“他们中的许多人……想开车，但想开车和能开车是两码事。”
The first part of the study found that, in addition to lower hazard detection, students with autism were more likely to slow down and “stop short” in front of stop signs.
研究的第一部分发现，除了察觉风险的能力较差外，患有自闭症的学生更有可能在停车标志前减速和“突然停车”。
Hodges said she hopes the individualized driving sessions planned for the second part of the research will be successful.
霍奇斯说，她希望为研究的第二部分计划的个性化驾驶课程能取得成功。
Either way, programs like this can go a long way toward helping those with autism overcome their doubts, Debbie Mielewski said.
黛比·米列夫斯基说，无论哪种方式，这样的项目都十分有助于自闭症患者克服他们的疑虑。
“If we can just free them to think that they can do anything, I really think they can,” she said.
她说：“如果我们能让他们相信自己可以做任何事情，我真的认为他们可以”。
“They need support. We should support them.”
“他们需要支持。我们应该支持他们。”
Hodges said she hopes similar programs appear elsewhere.
霍奇斯说，她希望其他地方也能有类似的项目。
“I would hope that parents would learn that their teens or young adults who have ASD actually may be able to drive successfully,” she said.
她说：“我希望家长能了解到，患有自闭症的青少年或年轻的成年人或许也能成功驾驶。”
“And there may be some tools out there that they may not have been aware of.”
“可能还有一些他们可能没有意识到的工具。”
Hodges said the second part of the study is expected to start in a month or two.
霍奇斯说，这项研究的第二部分预计将在一两个月内开始。
I’m Caty Weaver.
凯蒂·韦弗为您播报。
译文为可可英语翻译，未经授权请勿转载！
