Evaluation of different interface designs for human-machine interaction in vehicles

Abstract

In this paper we report on a user study in which we compared three different interaction designs in an in-vehicle infotainment system. Touchpad, free-hand and ordinary button interface designs were compared for usability, user experience and how they affect driving safety in different driving conditions. The study was performed in a high-fidelity driving simulator. Thirty participants were divided into two groups, one with less demanding and one with more demanding driving conditions, with the purpose of evaluating the interaction designs also in different driving environments. Each participant completed a set of tasks on each interface design and evaluated it with the User Experience Questionnaire. The conclusion from this study is that using a buttons-based input design on the steering wheel is the most efficient type of interaction compared to touchpad and free-hand input designs. On the other hand, we found that although newer input designs could be very attractive, their implementation into the vehicles infotainment system should be done wisely and carefully.