Erfahrungen in Deutschland mit der Anwendung der EU-Empfehlung "Europäischer Grundsatzkatalog zur Fahrer-Fahrzeug-Schnittstelle für Informations- und Kommunikationssysteme" werden beschrieben und daraus Konsequenzen abgeleitet. Insgesamt ist die ergonomische Bewertung der Mensch-Maschine-Schnittstelle von Fahrerinformations- und -Kommunikationssystemen nicht als einmaliges Ereignis, sondern als immer wieder zu durchlaufender Vorgang anzusehen, da neben neuen wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnissen jeweils neu entwickelte Geräte und Systeme zu berücksichtigen sind, was eine Anpassung der Grundsätze beziehungsweise eine Öffnung der Grundsätze für technische Neuerungen mit hohem Sicherheitsstandard erfordern könnte. Demonstrationen neuartiger Bedienkonzepte, Systementwicklungen und Arbeitstechniken sowie die hierzu durchgeführten Nutzertests verdeutlichen, dass ergonomisch sehr vielversprechende Lösungen (wie zum Beispiel Schnittstellen, die Eingaben mittels Gestik gestatten) existieren, beziehungsweise sich in der Entwicklung befinden. Diese Lösungen zeigen, dass die Empfehlung in weiten Bereichen technologieabhängig, das heißt, mit Blick auf Neuentwicklungen, nicht erschöpfend ist. Die Weiterentwicklung der Grundsätze sowie die Bewertung der sicheren Gestaltung der Mensch-Maschine-Schnittstelle bedarf nicht nur einer europaweit, sondern weltweit abgestimmten Vorgehensweise.
This article describes the development of techniques to minimize automobile driver distraction when an in-vehicle information systems (IVIS) that requires visual attention is in use. The authors explain the visual occlusion technique that has been developed as a tool for the assessment of the in-vehicle human-machine interface (HMI) of IVIS in terms of visual demands. The authors addressed an unresolved issue in previous standardized experimental protocols - how subjects make use of the occluded intervals and how this might affect the assessments of visual demands. This study protocol assumed that subjects would continue task performance during occluded periods, leading to an underestimation of visual demands by the occlusion parameters "total shutter open time" (TSOT) and the "occlusion index". The authors predicted that a simple additional loading task to be performed in parallel could disrupt IVIS task performance during the occluded period leading to higher estimations of visual demands by TSOT and R. Their prediction was confirmed by the study findings. The results also showed that under the condition of additional auditory tracking, TSOT and R discriminated more clearly between an "easy" and a "difficult" IVIS task than under the standard condition. They conclude with a discussion of the implications of this research for designers of assessment tools for driver visual distractions.
Although cruise control (CC) is available for most cars, no studies have been found which examine how this automation system influences driving behaviour. However, a relatively large number of studies have examined adaptive cruise control (ACC) which compared to CC includes also a distance control. Besides positive effects with regard to a better compliance to speed limits, there are also indications of smaller distances to lead vehicles and slower responses in situations that require immediate braking. Similar effects can be expected for CC as this system takes over longitudinal control as well. To test this hypothesis, a simulator study was conducted at the German Aerospace Center. Twenty-two participants drove different routes (highway and motorway) under three different conditions (assisted by ACC, CC and manual driving without any system). Different driving scenarios were examined including a secondary task condition. On the one hand, both systems lead to lower maximum velocities and less speed limit violations. There was no indication that drivers shift more of their attention towards secondary tasks when driving with CC or ACC. However, there were delayed driver reactions in critical situations, e.g., in a narrow curve or a fog bank. These results give rise to some caution regarding the safety effects of these systems, especially if in the future their range of functionality (e.g., ACC Stop-and-Go) is further increased.