Driving performance during visual and haptic menu selection with in-vehicle rotary device

An in-vehicle haptic rotary device developed to interact with secondary tasks can provide haptic support to a visual interface and reduce the need to look away from the road. However, added haptic information intended to support interaction may distract the driver by adding cognitive load. This study examines how visual and haptic interfaces affect driver performance and if visual–haptic information could reduce effects of driver distraction. Four menu selection interfaces were compared: visual-only, visual–haptic with partly haptic support, visual–haptic with full haptic support, and haptic-only. The Lane Change Test was used with four measures. Interaction with the interfaces while driving caused increased driving deviation and delayed lane change initiation. The visual-only and the visual–haptic interface with partly haptic support caused erroneous crossed lanes. The haptic-only interface caused missed road signs. Full haptic support had the least negative effect on driver performance. In conclusion, haptic support could reduce effects of visual load without adding effects of cognitive load.

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► Visual and haptic in-vehicle interfaces affected driver performance differently.
► Only visual information or with some haptic support caused erroneous lane crossings.
► Only haptic information caused missed road signs.
► Full haptic support reduced effects of visual load and did not add effects of cognitive load.