This paper describes an experiment that was undertaken within PRO-GEN, part of the European PROMETHEUS activities. The experiment was carried out regarding the route guidance and information system in Berlin (LISB) with respect to the psychological and traffic safety aspects. It appears that foreign and disoriented drivers represent a higher danger for traffic safety than oriented drivers. This fact must be contrasted to the positive and negative findings of this experiment. Positively can be stated that drivers feel more secure and relaxed while driving with LISB and produce less traffic conflicts. Negative aspects concern the glancing times to the display during driving and the unconventional driving behaviour under the LISB condition which is characterized by sudden lane changes. Nevertheless, the experiment shows that only a system like the LISB device which is able to guide drivers under all circumstances to their destination - regardless whether they follow a certain advice or not - provides foreigners with the appropriate information. But only a modified and well designed voice output interface is capable to reduce glance times and the frequency of 'sudden initiated lane changes'.
Abstract