Britta Michel

HMI Strategy – Lateral and Longitudinal Control

Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) which continuously intervene in the lateral or longitudinal control of the vehicle can increase the efficiency and comfort while driving. In order to achieve the best possible use of such systems, the HMI has to be adapted to the driver’s needs and capabilities. The current chapter describes how two HMI concepts for urban traffic were developed and refined based on the driver’s demands: (1) a truck-specific HMI strategy for an automated longitudinal control and (2) a HMI strategy for a lateral control system on narrow roads – the constriction assistant. In both cases, the essential components of the HMI were identified using several methods, e.g. accompanying truck drivers in daily traffic, driving simulator studies, and integrated into an HMI strategy.

The Benefit of Touchless Gesture Control: An Empirical Evaluation of Commercial Vehicle-Related Use Cases

Touchless gesture control can be used for controlling various functions inside the vehicle. However, what added value can be created by touchless gesture control? Within a Wizard-of-Oz experiment in the driving simulator, we investigated the potential benefits of gesture control when switching on the cabin light, adjusting the roller blind, setting the radio volume, and calling up an information screen. For several functions, we found that in comparison to conventional controls touchless gesture control potentially increases driving safety, reduces the time required for input, and is physically less demanding. Due to its benefits, participants perceived touchless gesture control as useful and attractive, which makes touchless gesture control a serious alternative to conventional input modalities, provided that it works accurately.