Using the Cocktail Party Effect as Driver Attention Control

Abstract

In the current driving simulator experiment, two different alerting devices, presented to the audio and tactile sense modality respectively, were used to study the effects on driver attention control. The experiment was carried out at VTI, (Swedish Road and Transport Research Institute). While driving, the participants were distracted by a secondary task. An alerting device was then used to make the driver aware of the fact that he was distracted and to make his focus of attention switch back to the main task of driving. The hypothesis was that the audio device, in form of a voice calling out the driver's own name, would produce a more rapid switch of attention than the tactile device, in form of vibrations in the car cockpit. The study can be of use when designing a potential device for controlling driver's attention while driving to reduce car accidents.