Enhancing driver’s vision with the use of prototype automotive head-up display interface

Driving is a complex task largely dependent on vision as the predominant channel of information. Considering the wealth of visual cues available in a vehicle, it becomes crucial to manage the frequency of information provided to the driver. Notably, the significance of the quality and quantity of incoming information increases substantially under adverse weather conditions or in heavy traffic situations. The purpose of this study is two-fold. Firstly, our intent is to investigate avenues for enhancing the driver's spatial awareness under low visibility conditions and secondly to direct additional information from vehicle sensors in a way that improves human response times and reduces the possibility of collision. We designed a full-windshield Head-Up Display (HUD) interface based on a survey which recorded drivers’ attitudes, preferences and requirements. The prototype HUD interface was tested in a car-following driving scenario, on a driving simulator. This paper provides an overview of the interface design process; describes the user trials and presents our conclusions and future work.