Visual assistance HMI for use of video camera applications in the car
Abstract: The number of diverse and innovative technologies in the vehicles is increasing, video camera functions are one of them. Along with them the risk for driver distraction and inattention increase, and the development of good user interface has become more important. The purpose of this project was to examine where six different video camera applications preferably are shown and how they should be activated. The camera applications that were investigated are: Night vision, Front look around the corner, 360 Park assist, Rear view camera, Adapt camera and Blind spot side camera. The way of activation was generalized to either manual or automatic. Four display positions were decided to be used in the thesis work: HUD, DIM, RVM and ICM. The project was done as a thesis work for Volvo Car Corporation in Gothenburg, Sweden. An information gathering phase and tests of competitive systems started the study. The problems were investigated, defined and specified in a specification for each video camera function. Three concepts were generated and decided to further evaluate using focus groups. Three focus groups with different age and experience were used, all of them had driver license. The data collected was used to further develop the concepts and for further understanding of the problems with the different systems. A questionnaire was used to easier understand the general opinion. The concepts ME, WE and MEWE were established using the results from the focus groups. The concept ME focuses on the driver and presenting the information in the most natural display. The concept uses all four displays available to present the six video camera functions. The concept WE focus on the sense of us in the car and presents information so that everybody in the car can see it. The concept uses the only display that can be seen by all in the car, the ICM. The third concept, MEWE, is a mix of the two other concepts presenting the information in more than one display at the same time if necessary allowing every body to see. This concept presents the video cameras in all four displays, as ME, and presents the information in the ICM too. The concepts ME and WE were decided to evaluate in usability tests using a car simulator. The third concept was evaluated using a questionnaire during the tests. The usability tests in the simulator used three displays placed in the positions DIM, RVM and ICM. The HUD display was presented in the main frontal view. The 20 participants were equally split between two age groups, 18-45 and 46-65. Six of the participants were women and 14 were men. The participants were informed about the video camera applications and displays before taking part in the tests. Each person drove through a scenario twice testing the two concepts and were handed a questionnaire after each route. The results show that none of the concepts, ME and WE, was preferred more than the other. Only a few participants liked the idea of presenting the video camera functions as in MEWE. The most frequent comments indicated that the video cameras were naturally placed in ME but too many displays were used. The WE concept was easier to use but some of the functions would be preferred in other displays, especially Night Vision in the HUD. Regarding way of activation most participants preferred the functions 360 Park assist and Rear view camera to be activated automatically for example with reverse gear. The video camera functions Night vision, Front look around the corner and Adapt camera were preferred to activate manually. The Blind spot side camera was the function that most participant did not like and was not preferred in either was to be activated.The drivers' attitudes towards different placements and possibilities to activate the video cameras that were gathered during this thesis work show that there is no generally preferred concept. Depending on what focus Volvo Cars would prefer further tests should be made where the concepts affect on driving performance can be measured. It is recommended that further tests are made in reality to understand the true use of the systems and where to place them. Other systems such as Navigation should then also be included.
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