It is expected that the number of in-vehicle telematic systems will increase over the next few years, leading to an increased amount of information that a driver has to deal with besides the primary task of driving. In the project LIVES (Driver Interaction with Transport-telematic Systems), the organisations CURE (Center for Usability Research & Engineering) and FACTUM (Transport- and Social Analyses) investigated how these systems could be used in an optimum way in order to improve safety on the road. The main research questions, namely `How does information given simultaneously from different sources affect the driver?' and `What is the best sensory modality for which type of information?' were answered with the help of a driving simulator. This simulator made it possible to investigate the effects of different modalities for information on the driving behaviour. The outcomes consist of, firstly, a matrix in which different modalities (acoustic,visual, haptic) were combined with the priority level of a given information. The aim of this matrix is to provide better understanding which modalities should be used in which type of situation. Secondly, recommendations were formulated that would enhance safety in connection with the transmission of different types of information. (Author/publisher).
Abstract