Evaluation of and Design Implications for Force-Sensitive Touch Input Devices

Abstract

The increasing amount of innovations in the functionality of car electronics (e.g. advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and in-vehicle infotainment systems (IVIS)) leads to new challenges in the research of human-machine-interaction. A recent trend in the automotive industry is the integration of resistive or capacitive touchscreens as input devices into the car cockpit, following a user demand which origins in consumer electronics. Nowadays typical resistive and capacitive touchscreens have certain drawbacks in their distraction potential and their usability, resulting in safety-critical situations and negative user feedback. In this paper a different technical approach towards touch input technology is proposed, which combines the advantages of both resistive and capacitive touchscreens, while eliminating their disadvantages. Two studies -a qualitative expert evaluation and a driving simulator study- evaluating the technology, are presented in this paper.