Variable message sign (VMS) is a key component of intelligent highway system (IHS). As it becomes increasingly used, proper display of sign messages is critical to drivers' safety. This paper describes the study on the interface issues between motorists and IHS through VMS and its findings. Through laboratory driving simulation experiments, the influences of display format, number of message lines, driving lane and their interactions were investigated. It was found that discretely displayed messages took less response time than sequentially displayed messages. Single-line messages were better than multiple-line messages. Drivers could view portable VMS better when driving in the outer lane. It also found that older drivers exhibited slower response and less accuracy than younger drivers; female drivers exhibited slower response but higher accuracy than male drivers. Findings obtained from this study could promote a safer and smoother driving on highways and lead to improved interfaces between motorists and IHS. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting