This paper focuses on investigating how to design a human interface for a narrow road driving assistance system based on drivers' information processing and driving behavior. From the results of the past studies and the evaluation of drivers' information processing when using a narrow road driving assistance system, the following new method was proposed as a useful displaying method for visual information of a narrow road driving assistance system: the system shows the recommended route on an in-vehicle display and the information on the steering angles for passing through the narrow road on a head-up display. In experiments using a driving simulator, the effects of the proposed assistance system on elder drivers' behavior were studied. The results imply that elder drivers could not benefit from the information on the in-vehicle display because of cognitive overload. However, they could benefit from the information on the steering angles, and their mental workload was lower than the case when the system showing the recommended route on the in-vehicle display was used. The results imply that the proposed new method is effective for elder and young drivers in order to pass the narrow road smoothly and improve drivers' information processing.
Abstract