Driver Performance Results from the TravTek IVHS Camera Car Evaluation Study

The TravTek system constitutes a major Intelligent Vehicle-Highway System (IVHS) Advanced Traveler Information System (ATIS) demonstration project. The system provided in-vehicle information via color touchscreen CRT, steering wheel buttons, and synthesized voice. The TravTek driver interface was developed with the intent of providing navigation, service and attractions, and roadway incident and traffic information to the driver. The design of the TravTek interface had as its primary objectives: (1) more effective driver navigation providing the benefit of saving time, (2) easy access to valuable and convenient location information to alleviate stress and increase driving enjoyment, (3) maintenance of safe driving performance during system use and safety improvement facilitated by information for avoiding hazards and for emergency response, and (4) improvement of roadway efficiency to alleviate congestion. This paper provides detailed data regarding driver performance and behavioral interactions with four TravTek navigation configurations and two conventional methods of navigation: a paper map and a textual direction list. The results indicate that turn-by-turn information, regardless of its method of presentation, results in effective driving and navigation performance. A moving map display with no supplemental information required high visual attention relative to the other conditions. The other TravTek conditions resulted in lower workload superior navigation performance than the paper map control condition.