Automotive User Interfaces and Interactive Applications

Abstract

The increased amount of In-Vehicle Information & Communication Systems (IVIS) leads to an increased amount of messages that have to be relayed to the driver. In this paper we present an experiment with vibrotactile interaction in a driving simulator that transfers information through the driver’s seat. The first system we tested was a route guidance system (turn left or right at the next crossing, through vibration pulses left or right). The second system gave speed adaptation cues that urged the driver to slow down when speeding. The results indicate reduced workload compared to typical auditory and visual cues. Users responded slightly more positive towards the vibrotactile cues compared to auditory cues when they were given the choice. The main advantage was mentioned to be the unobtrusiveness compared to auditory and visual cues.