Citation

Mulder M, Mulder M, van Paassen MMR, Abbink DA. Ergonomics 2008; 51(11): 1710-1720.

Affiliation

Department of Aerospace Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands. Mark.Mulder@TUDelft.NL

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/00140130802331583

PMID

18941976

Abstract

Active driver support systems either automate a control task or present warnings to drivers when their safety is seriously degraded. In a novel approach, utilising neither automation nor discrete warnings, a haptic gas pedal (accelerator) interface was developed that continuously presents car-following support information, keeping the driver in the loop. This interface was tested in a fixed-base driving simulator. Twenty-one drivers between the ages of 24 and 30 years participated in a driving experiment to investigate the effects of haptic gas pedal feedback on car-following behaviour. Results of the experiment indicate that when haptic feedback was presented to the drivers, some improvement in car-following performance was achieved, while control activity decreased. Further research is needed to investigate the effectiveness of the system in more varied driving conditions. Haptics is an under-used modality in the application of human support interfaces, which usually draw on vision or hearing. This study demonstrates how haptics can be used to create an effective driver support interface.

Language: en