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A lack of navigator's Situation Awareness (SA) is one of the leading causes of maritime accidents. Visually observing the area surrounding a vessel continues to be a critical aspect and best practice of safe navigation to establish and maintain SA. Augmented Reality (AR) allows the placement of information in a user's field of view, which can encourage navigators to spend more time looking up at their external environment whilst still having access to operational data. However, empirical evidence on the impact of AR on maritime operations is limited. This paper investigates the effects of AR on navigator SA & Head-Down Time (HDT) using a within-group quasi-experimental design. Seventeen licensed navigators and nautical students analysed twelve navigation scenarios: six non-AR (control) and six AR (experimental) scenarios using a maritime training simulator. SA was measured via SAGAT scores for each scenario and the SA-SWORD to compare preferences. Each scenario was video recorded and analysed for participant's total amount of HDT and head-down occurrences in each scenario. Results found that the addition of AR significantly reduced participant HDT (by a factor of 2.67) and head-down occurrences (by 62%) in comparison to navigation scenarios without AR. Furthermore, AR did not significantly improve mean SA. This study contributes to the limited empirical data on the effects of AR on operator performance, demonstrating the potential value of AR for improving SA and facilitating increased head-up time during maritime navigation, which in turn could improve safety at sea. • We investigate the impact of AR on a maritime navigator's Situation Awareness. • Participants had significantly more head-up time navigating with AR. • Participants were found to have less head-down occurrences navigating with AR. • AR did not significantly increase Situation Awareness in navigation. • Participants preferred using AR and felt it added value to navigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The increasing global distribution of automobiles necessitates that the design of In-vehicle Information Systems (IVIS) is appropriate for the regions to which they are being exported. Differences between regions such as culture, environment and traffic context can influence the needs, usability and acceptance of IVIS. This paper describes two studies aimed at identifying regional differences in IVIS design needs and preferences across drivers from Australia and China to determine the impact of any differences on IVIS design. Using a questionnaire and interaction clinics, the influence of cultural values and driving patterns on drivers'' preferences for, and comprehension of, surface- and interaction-level aspects of IVIS interfaces was explored. Similarities and differences were found between the two regional groups in terms of preferences for IVIS input control types and labels and in the comprehension of IVIS functions. Specifically, Chinese drivers preferred symbols and Chinese characters over English words and were less successful (compared to Australians) at comprehending English abbreviations, particularly for complex IVIS functions. Implications in terms of the current trend to introduce Western-styled interfaces into other regions with little or no adaptation are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper discusses the limitations and potential of using an occlusion test to assess visual distraction and the suitability of an in-vehicle information system (IVIS) task for driving. This discussion was expanded from issues raised during a UK workshop on occlusion. The paper describes the research history and empirical foundations of occlusion. It describes some of the occlusion technology and applications for this procedure. Issues concerning the occlusion tasks and the duration and timing of occlusion are presented. The main part of this paper focuses on the priority research considerations for occlusion. The paper concludes with a description of some alternatives to occlusion and future research needs. It is concluded that the occlusion test has some promise, however the empirical basis for occlusion is lacking. If occlusion is to be developed as a metric to determine maximal safe visual distraction, substantial barriers remain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the effectiveness and acceptance of four connected vehicle features, i.e. Emergency Electronic Brake Lights (EEBL), Emergency Vehicle Warning (EVW), Roadworks warning (RWW) and Traffic Condition Warning (TCW) which were presented via a mobile phone mounted near the line of sight. A driving simulator study was conducted in which 36 drivers were exposed to different levels of urgent and critical situations. They involved the approach of an emergency vehicle, an emergency braking of a lead vehicle, a roadworks area and a congested section of a road. All these events took place in a simulated motorway scenario. In the EEBL event, the vehicle braking ahead with the brake lights on was either visible or not (between-subjects). Whereas no effect of RWW and TCW were observed on driving behaviour, results showed that drivers who were shown the EEBL warnings had shorter braking and decelerating response times, and a slower mean speed during the events, and this was independent of brake lights visibility. The EVW resulted in participants giving way to the emergency vehicle (i.e. staying on the slow lane instead of overtaking slower vehicles) more frequently than those who did not receive the warning. The mobile phone app was accepted and considered usable. Locating the mobile phone in different locations within the drivers' line of sight (i.e. dashboard, instrument cluster) did not impact significantly neither drivers' attitudes nor behaviour. Additional in-vehicle information systems could enhance safety and allow emergency vehicles to get faster to their destination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]