Andreas Keinath

The New BMW iDrive --- Applied Processes and Methods to Assure High Usability

With iDrive the BMW Group introduced in 2001 a revolutionary HMI concept, which was firstly able to cope with the constantly increasing number of functions in the automobile. It was designed to optimally support drivers in their various tasks while driving. The basic iDrive concept can be described as separating driving functions from comfort functions as well as separating displays from controls. This basic concept together with a highly mounted display ensures that controls can be reached with no need looking at them and that the central display is easy and quick to access. The trendsetting iDrive idea has been widely adopted in the automotive industry. The following article outlines the iterative design and evaluation process that led to the new generation iDrive introduced in 2008 with the new BMW 7 Series. The basic challenge was to come up with an evolution of the iDrive concept by improving it without loosing the revolutionary approach to automotive HMI design.

How Electric Vehicles Affect Driving Behavioral Patterns

The gradual introduction of fully electrically powered vehicles into the market has extended the opportunities for sustainable mobility and a new technological era. In this paper we investigate the changes in driver behavior patterns compared with patterns of traditional vehicles with combustion engines after having acquired the necessary adjustments needed for driving an electric vehicle. We aim to expound upon the differences present in driving habits after the individual has become adjusted to the driving patterns of an electric vehicle. Results showed that there is a significant difference in the driving habits of an internal combustion vehicle and that of an electric vehicle. Particularly a development from stronger accelerating and decelerating within the first experiences with electric vehicles to a more calm driving after 5 months of experience was noticeable in acceleration and braking maneuvers. Additionally, results for constant driving proved that interaction with electric vehicles with one-pedal driving capability is not a barrier for efficient driving with constant velocity.

Evaluating visual display designs in vehicles: Advantages and disadvantages of the occlusion technique

Over the last few years the amount of in-car visual displays has steadily increased. Despite of positive aspects of additional systems it is important to make these systems as safety as possible. A method to evaluate the design objectives of quick and reliable information acquisition is the occlusion technique. In this paper we describe the technique and report experimental results from several evaluation studies. We found that the occlusion technique reliably discriminates between simple and complex visual displays. We also found that the occlusion technique reliably discriminates between dialogues that facilitate resumption after an interruption and those that do not. The implications of these results and the applicability of the method are discussed.

Advancing electric vehicle range displays for enhanced user experience: the relevance of trust and adaptability

Advancing range-information user interfaces towards enhanced usability is a continuous task in electric vehicle development. The objective of the present research was (1) to examine experienced trustworthiness of a typical range-information user interface, (2) to test a newly constructed trustworthiness scale, (3) to examine the relationship of experienced trustworthiness to individual usable range (i.e., comfortable range), and (4) to identify possibilities for further improvement of range-information user interfaces. Data from N = 74 participants of a large-scale electric vehicle field trial were analyzed. Results show that experienced trustworthiness of the range estimation system is related to a higher comfortable range. Moreover, users developed several suggestions on how to further improve the user interface. The results imply that perceived trustworthiness should be considered as a benchmark for evaluating range-information user interfaces and that users should have flexible options to adjust the parameters of the range estimation system.

Effects of Task and Presentation Modality in Detection Response Tasks

To assess driver distraction adequately, cognitive workload measurement techniques are necessary that can be used as part of standard in-vehicle testing procedures. Detection response tasks (DRTs) are a simple and effective way of assessing workload. However, as DRTs require cognitive resources themselves, interferences between task modality and DRT modality are possible. In this study, DRT stimuli (auditory, visual, tactile) are varied systematically with secondary task presentation modality (auditory, visual, or purely cognitive tasks). The aim is to infer if different DRT variants remain sensitive to changes in workload even if primary and secondary task convey information using the same presentation modality, thus making resource conflicts likely. Results show that all DRTs successfully discriminate between high and low workload levels in terms of reaction time independent of DRT presentation modality. Differences in discriminability can be found in hit rate measurement.

Use Cases for Assessing, Testing, and Validating the Human Machine Interface of Automated Driving Systems

Reflecting the increasing demand for harmonization of human machine interfaces (HMI) of automated vehicles, different taxonomies of use cases for investigating automated driving systems (ADS) have been proposed. Existing taxonomies tend to serve specific purposes such as categorizing transitions between automation modes; however, they cannot be generalized to different systems or combinations of systems. In particular, there is no exhaustive set of use cases that allows entities to assess and validate the HMI of a given ADS that takes into account all possible system modes and transitions. The present paper describes a newly developed framework based on combinatorics of SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) automation levels that incorporates a comprehensive taxonomy of use cases required for the assessment and validation of ADS HMIs. This forms a much-needed basis for test methods required to verify whether an HMI meets minimum requirements such as those outlined in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Federal Automated Vehicles policy.

Evaluation of a new cockpit color concept under mesopic lighting for urban driving

This paper compares two different cockpit color concepts in mid-range cars under mesopic lighting. The analysis tries to confirm that new concepts with white illumination are no worse than the red concepts presently in use. Thirty participants took part in two experiments to determine whether they yielded the same results in terms of interpretability, readability, and differentiability of information. A modified PSSUQ was used to evaluate those factors. The subjective results show that there is no meaningful difference between a white and red color cockpit concept.

Die Sensitivität verschiedener Maße zur Fahrzeugquerregelung im Vergleich

In der heutigen Zeit nimmt die Anzahl von Fahrerassistenz- und Fahrer-informationssystemen im Fahrzeug stetig zu. Das Vorhandensein oder Nichtvorhandensein solcher Systeme ist, neben Aspekten der Verkehrssicherheit, inzwischen zu einem wichtigen Differenzierungsfaktor zwischen den verschiedenen Herstellern geworden. Bevor ein neues System in ein Fahrzeug Einzug findet, wird es wahrend des gesamten Entwicklungsprozesses umfassend getestet. Dadurch wird sichergestellt, dass diese Systeme den Fahrkomfort erhohen und die eigene Sicherheit und die der anderen Verkehrsteilnehmer gewahrleistet bleiben.