Abstract
Usability issues of maps presented in-car Route Guidance and Navigation System (RGNS) may result in serious impacts on traffic safety. To obtain effective RGNS, evaluation of 'user satisfaction' with the system has played a prominent role, since designers can quantify drivers' acceptance about presented information. An important variable related to design of RGNS interfaces refers to select appropriate scale for maps, since it interferes on legibility of maps. Map with good legibility may support drivers comprehend information easily and take decisions during driving task quickly. This paper evaluates drivers' preference for scales used in maps of RGNS. A total of 52 subjects participated of an experiment performed in a parked car. Maps were designed at four different scales 1:1,000, 1:3,000, 1:6,000 and 1:10,000 for a route composed of 13 junctions. Map design was based on cartographic communication principles, such as perceptive grouping and figure-ground segregation. Based on studies cases, we conclude intermediate scales (1:6,000 and 1:3,000) were more acceptable among drivers compared to large scales (1:1,000) and small (1:10,000). RGNS should select scales for maps which supports drivers to quickly identify direction of the maneuver and, simultaneously, get information about surroundings of route. More results are presented and implications discussed
Highlights
In recent decades, researchers in Human Computer Interaction (HCI) have become increasingly interested in the usability issues of maps presented by in-car Route Guidance and Navigation Systems (RGNSs) (Pugliesi et al 2009; Ching-Torng et al 2010; Ei-Wen Lo et al 2011; Burnett et al 2013; Ramos et al 2014b)
This paper presented a preliminary study on driver preference for scales used in maps for in-car route guidance and navigation systems
We concluded that driver preference for scales adopted on RGNSs maps was not related to gender, educational background, spatial ability or experience with the navigation system
Summary
Researchers in Human Computer Interaction (HCI) have become increasingly interested in the usability issues of maps presented by in-car Route Guidance and Navigation Systems (RGNSs) (Pugliesi et al 2009; Ching-Torng et al 2010; Ei-Wen Lo et al 2011; Burnett et al 2013; Ramos et al 2014b). To receive information from the RGNS during driving, drivers must divert their eyes from the road, and this practice may have serious impacts on traffic safety (Wickens et al 2004; Dalton et al 2013). To reduce the risk of car accidents, RGNSs maps should offer high performance to both support drivers in navigation tasks and avoid visual distraction. High-performance navigation maps could have important implications on usability of RGNSs (Pugliesi et al, 2009). Because drivers can comprehend information on a map, decisions can be made quickly during driving tasks (Lavie and Oron-Gilad 2013). Problems with cartographic communication presented by an interface could affect driver experience with the system (Pugliesi and Decanini 2009) and cause distraction on the road (Kaber et al 2012)
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