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Skill Acquisition While Operating In-Vehicle Information Systems: Interface Design Determines the Level of Safety-Relevant Distractions

Chemnitz University of Technology, Chemnitz, Germany, georg.jahn{at}uni-greifswald.de

Josef F. Krems

Chemnitz University of Technology, Chemnitz, Germany

Christhard Gelau

Federal Highway Research Institute (BASt), Bergisch-Gladbach, Germany

Objective: This study tested whether the ease of learning to use human—machine interfaces of in-vehicle information systems (IVIS) can be assessed at standstill. Background: Assessing the attentional demand of IVIS should include an evaluation of ease of learning, because the use of IVIS at low skill levels may create safety-relevant distractions. Method: Skill acquisition in operating IVIS was quantified by fitting the power law of practice to training data sets collected in a driving study and at standstill. Participants practiced manual destination entry with two route guidance systems differing in cognitive demand. In Experiment 1, a sample of middle-aged participants was trained while steering routes of varying driving demands. In Experiment 2, another sample of middle-aged participants was trained at standstill. Results: In Experiment 1, display glance times were less affected by driving demands than by total task times and decreased at slightly higher speed-up rates (0.02 higher on average) than task times collected at standstill in Experiment 2. The system interface that minimized cognitive demand was operated more quickly and was easier to learn. Its system delays increased static task times, which still predicted 58% of variance in display glance times compared with even 76% for the second system. Conclusion: The ease of learning to use an IVIS interface and the decrease in attentional demand with training can be assessed at standstill. Application: Fitting the power law of practice to static task times yields parameters that predict display glance times while driving, which makes it possible to compare interfaces with regard to ease of learning.

Key Words: driver distraction • time-sharing visual attention • cognitive ergonomics • in-vehicle information systems • skill acquisition • dual-task performance • driver behavior • surface transportation systems • interface evaluation • usability • mental workload • attentional processes • skill development • highway safety • human-machine interfaces • power law of practice • power law of learning • training • naual destination entry • route guidance systems • glance duration • attentional demand • ease of learning • gaze behavior • transfer • text entry • human computer interaction • human machine interface • visual demand • transportation • advanced traveler information systems • interface design • controls

Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, Vol. 51, No. 2, 136-151 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/0018720809336542


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