The Development and Evaluation of Icons for Side Obstacle Warning Systems

Abstract

A new class of driver assistance system under development is Side Obstacle Warning (SOW). These systems are designed to alert drivers to the presence of vehicles in adjacent lanes. Two forms of SOW systems being developed are Blind Spot Detection and Lane Change Warning. Both are relatively recent developments, and therefore have few established icons. A production test methodology was employed to develop icons that convey the functionality of the two SOW systems. Thirty drivers were asked to draw icons that conveyed the Blind Spot Detection and Lane Change Warning functions. The illustrations that resulted were categorized according to similarities, from which nine icons were developed for each Blind Spot Detection and Lane Change Warning. Sixty drivers rank ordered those icons in an appropriateness ranking test. The rank orders were analyzed, and the most promising icons for both systems are presented.