Comparing Audio and Tactile Inputs as Driver Attention Control

Abstract

In this simulator study we compared the effects that two different alerting devices had on driver attention control. The alerting devices were presented to the audio and tactile sense modality respectively. The audio alerting was in form of the driver's own name and the tactile device was in form of vibrations similar to those produced by rumble lines. While driving, the driver was distracted by a secondary task. The alerting device was then used to make the driver change his/her focus of attention back to the main task of driving. No significant difference between the alerting devices was found. A combination of the two alerting devices shows a tendency to provide the most rapid switch of attention back to focus on the main driving task. This paper is part of a study to discriminate an efficient way to alert a distracted driver so that car accidents may be reduced.