Driving with the Traditional Viewed-Through-the-Steering Wheel Cluster vs. the Forward-Center Mounted Instrument Cluster

Abstract

This paper reports a study conducted to evaluate the Traditional vs. the Center Mounted instrument cluster using a fixed base driving simulator. Twenty-four drivers (12 tall males and 12 short females) drove six laps on a freeway driving course. After familiarization with the simulator, the drivers were randomly assigned to drive first three laps with one cluster location, and then they drove the next three laps with the cluster mounted in the second location. In each lap, the drivers performed 16 tasks in pre-selected random orders. The tasks involved increasing or decreasing speeds to instructed target speeds, operating cruise controls and setting instructed speeds, reading gages, viewing mirrors and operating selected controls in the vehicle. The results of the study showed: 1) The driver's abilities to maintain speed and lateral position were significantly better (about 13% reduction in standard deviations of speed and lateral position) when driving with the center mounted cluster as compared to the traditional location. 2) The total number of eye glances made by the drivers in performing the tasks was not affected by the cluster location. 3) The drivers' preferences, after driving with both the clusters, however, were mixed–about half the drivers preferred the center cluster over the traditional cluster. 4) Older drivers had significantly larger standard deviations in both speed and lateral position than the younger drivers in using both the clusters.