Equipment Design Features (Impacts on Safety)

Papers, polls, Q&A items, and comments on this page are oriented to topics and issues associated with the impact of equipment design features on driving safety. Feel free to post comments on issues outlined below, or in response to papers, polls, and/or questions submitted to our expert panel. The emphasis is meant to be on the design features of the technological devices themselves, but comments on system-level safety (e.g., integration of devices, use of crash warnings) are welcome. A moderator has been assigned to periodically synthesize comments, keep discussions focused and moving, emphasize key points, and offer additional insights into related issues.

DISCUSSION ISSUES/TOPICS

Effective/Ineffective Designs & Countermeasures

What technologies can be employed to develop less distracting devices (e.g., voice recognition, hands free operation)?
To what extent does voice interaction (speech recognition, artificial speech) provide benefits over visual presentation? Under what conditions is voice communication distracting?
Is there less driver distraction with the use of Head Up Displays (HUDs) than with traditional displays? Can everyone use HUDs effectively?
How should information be structured, formatted, and searched? How much information is too much for drivers to handle?
What designs and features (design soluations) have worked well in this or similar applications? What problems have been observed?
What effective countermeasures can be used to combat distraction?

Research Needs

What are the important unanswered questions regarding the design of in-vehicle technologies? Is research best directed at defining good design or developing tools to evaluate individual designs?

Content Available In Each Topic Area

  Paper
  Comment
  Ask the Expert
  Poll

Effective/Ineffective Designs & Countermeasures
	The Impact of Internal Distraction on Driver Visual Behavior 5/17/00 2:30:52 PM Divided Attention Ability of Young and Older Drivers 5/30/00 1:12:17 PM Speech-based Interaction with In-vehicle Computers: The Effect of Speech-based E-mail on Drivers’ Attention to the Roadway 5/31/00 11:52:26 AM Integration of Driver In-Vehicle ITS Information 5/31/00 11:53:14 AM E-Distraction: The Challenges for Safe and Usable Internet Services in Vehicles 5/31/00 12:04:41 PM Can Collision Warning Systems Mitigate Distraction Due to In-Vehicle Devices? 5/31/00 1:12:43 PM In-Vehicle Communication and Driving: An Attempt to Overcome their Interference 6/1/00 11:55:10 AM If purchasing an in-vehicle device, how much of an influence does the design and ease of use of devices have on your selection? Can auditory systems (devices with the capability to interpret voice commands, or communicate using speech messages) address the safety concerns associated with operating in-vehicle technologies? Do you believe hands-free technology is sufficient to address safety concerns related to cell phone use while driving? Is it possible to design electronic maps that can be safely used while driving? Is it possible to design wireless Internet devices (e.g., e-mail systems) that can be safely used while driving? Integration of Driver in vehicle ITS 7/6/00 2:13:53 PM In your opinion, what is the maximum number of recommended information displays a HUD should feature? 7/14/00 8:52:05 AM Passenger Air Bag technology saves lives, BUT... 7/14/00 6:11:10 PM Radio designs are needlessly dangerous 7/18/00 3:04:26 PM Radio designs are needlessly dangerous, II 7/18/00 6:32:12 PM Possible solution 7/18/00 6:44:54 PM disable devices while car is in motion 7/19/00 11:19:00 AM low cost "black-box" equipment for motor vehicles 7/19/00 11:50:17 AM In your opinion, what is the maximum number of recommended information displays a HUD should feature? Can you specify related references? 7/19/00 4:11:36 PM Daniel McGehee This is a very complicated question that is easily several dissertations worth of information. I will try to address these questions briefly and provide additional references that you can explore offline. Your first question on the maximum number of recommended information displays a HUD should feature can be answered simply: It depends. There is a tendency for designers to think of such displays as a panacea. That is, since it intuitively seems that providing head-up information is best, then everything should be displayed using a head-up presentation. One comprehensive source on guidelines for automotive HUD information content is a PhD dissertation by Steve Jahns at the University of Iowa (Steven K. Jahns, 1996. Information content and format recommendations for automotive head-up displays, PhD Dissertation. University of Iowa). The guidelines cited in David Curry's response to this same question are based on Jahns' work. It is my personal opinion that if HUDs are used, they are best suited to display simple command information (e.g., turn-by-turn information for navigation). More complex information (such as a detailed map) can be more distracting than a head down display. Drivers also may feel over-confident in their glances to a HUD versus a dedicated head-down display (HDD). For instance drivers know that is dangerous to look away from the roadway when they look at a HDD, however, drivers may feel that a HUD is safer to look at even the information may be equally as demanding. Other status-based information is simply not important enough to require head-up presentation. For instance, a glance to the speedometer is a common occurrence, but not necessary a visually demanding task. Other driver status information such as telltales also are not critical enough for this type of display and may be more salient if flashed on the instrument panel. Unlike commercial and military aircraft, drivers need not react immediately to this type of information. The use of HUDs for crash avoidance information may also may be a detriment since the goal of crash warnings are to immediately orient the driver's attention to the hazard. Some other issues to consider before selecting a HUD as an information source include: Ambient light - Most drivers spend much of their time on-the-road during the day under high ambient light conditions. Cost limitations on current HUDs prevent salient information presentation during high ambient light conditions. Redundant information - Most, if not all information placed on HUDs in the past is redundant with the instrument panel. Designers need to consider the cost/benefit. Most HUDs to day are put on vehicles to increase the marketability of a vehicle. Perceptual capture- Although HUDs may be focused at a variety of distances in front of the vehicle, drivers still are required to perceptually capture the information, thus distracting them from the road (this is especially true for more attentionally demanding information). It is not possible to "look through the HUD" and see the environment ahead as well at the information display. We are "spot light" information processors-we are either looking at the HUD information or the outside environment. As a consequence, there are two distinct visual planes with HUDs and driving that independently require driver processing resources. A list of specific literature that takes into account (1) emerging technologies (2) cognitive load (3) the line of sight, and (4) driver preferences and adaptability to such a system can be found at the following link: www.uiowa.edu/~ppc/hudrefs.html What role can automation play in reducing the driver distraction problem? What automated or assistance systems can we expect to see in the future? 7/20/00 7:47:20 AM Confusing radio controls 7/20/00 4:05:31 PM Older vs. Younger 7/24/00 9:47:24 PM E-mail in the car 7/24/00 10:09:21 PM HUD usage 7/26/00 1:46:27 PM HUD usage 7/26/00 1:47:16 PM Radio/CD player designs need standards 7/31/00 2:13:49 AM Integration and solutions causing potential new problems 8/1/00 10:09:55 AM Radio content can be distracting 8/1/00 10:25:10 AM Ergonomic design and visual pollution 8/3/00 2:14:33 PM Ergonomic design and visual pollution (ergonomically improved!) 8/3/00 2:23:18 PM
Research Needs
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