Advanced Traveler Information Systems and Commercial Vehicle Operations Components of the Intelligent Transportation Systems: Head-Up Displays and Driver Attention for Navigation Information

Abstract

Since the initial development of prototype automotive head-up displays (HUDs), there has been a concern that the presence of the HUD image may interfere with the driving task and negatively impact driving performance. The overall goal of this experiment was to examine the driving performance implications of an automotive HUD when used to present simple route guidance information. Of particular importance was how navigation aids [head-down display (HDD) vs. HUD] and drivers' age interact to influence driver behavior. Twenty-four younger and older subjects participated in the study, which was conducted in the Battelle High-Fidelity Driving Simulator. Each subject drove three experimental scenarios--two urban and one rural. During the scenarios, subjects were required to adhere to posted speed limits and remain within their lane boundaries. They were also required to respond, as quickly as possible, to emergency incidents such as balls rolling into the road, a car crossing against a red light immediately in front of them, and a car in front of them suddenly braking to a stop. This study revealed no differences with respect to navigation performance, response to unexpected events, or driving performance as a function of navigation aid. Nonetheless, while performance (considered overall) was not better in the HUD condition than in the HDD condition, neither was the HUD associated with performance decrements. In particular, none of the results suggest that the HUD was a distraction to the subjects or that it was associated with any form of cognitive capture.