Automotive HMI design
Designs the screens, controls, sounds and voice used to operate a vehicle, so the driver can handle them while still paying attention to the road.
What problem it addresses
Driving takes up the eyes and hands. Every second looking at a screen is a second not looking at the road, and with automated driving you also need to know when to take back control.
Principles
At a glance
Each task is done with short glances, without taking your eyes off the road for more than a few seconds in total.
Always clear who is driving
The person knows what level of automation the vehicle is in and when it is their turn to take control.
Test while driving
It is checked with people doing the task while measuring how long they look away.
Applications in design
Use it like this
Decide for each function whether it goes on the screen, on a physical control or by voice, and lock the ones that can't be used while moving.
Avoid
Hiding frequently used functions, such as climate control, in menus several screens deep.
Don’t fall for it
Make the system warn clearly when automation stops driving and the person has to take over.
Connections
Builds on
Authors and works
- 2013
NHTSA
Published guidelines for cars' built-in electronic devices: tasks shouldn't require glances longer than 2 seconds or add up to more than 12 seconds with eyes off the road.
- 2017
ISO
The ISO 15005 standard sets ergonomic principles for the dialogue between the driver and the vehicle's information and control systems while moving, and how to check they are met.
SAE International (J3016 standard, 2021)
Defined six levels of driving automation, from 0, no automation, to 5, full automation.
- 2018
Andrew L. Kun
Reviewed research on in-vehicle interaction, from manual driving to transitions between levels of automation.
Sources
Original sources
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (2013). Visual-manual NHTSA driver distraction guidelines for in-vehicle electronic devices. Federal Register, 78(81), 24818. Expediente NHTSA-2010-0053. View source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (2013)
- International Organization for Standardization (2017). ISO 15005:2017. Road vehicles — Ergonomic aspects of transportation and control systems — Dialogue management principles and compliance procedures. ISO. View source: International Organization for Standardization (2017)
- SAE International (2021). Taxonomy and definitions for terms related to driving automation systems for on-road motor vehicles (J3016_202104). SAE International. View source: SAE International (2021)
Academic reviews
- Kun, A. L. (2018). Human-machine interaction for vehicles: Review and outlook. Foundations and Trends in Human-Computer Interaction, 11(4), 201–293. View source: Kun, A. L. (2018)
Last reviewed: