On-Road and In-Vehicle Delivery of Service Signs: Effects of Information Source and Age

In-vehicle technologies for communicating information to drivers have realized increasing use in recent years. While most attention has been paid to in-vehicle displays for presenting safety-related information, such as warnings, few studies have explored communication of non-safety-related information with in-vehicle displays. This simulated driving study examined driver performance in vehicle control and sign identification, when processing service logo information from on-road signs or an in-vehicle display. Findings suggest that in-vehicle displays, on-road signage, or both allowed drivers to identify service logos with a high accuracy and a relatively low level of workload. The use of in-vehicle displays either alone or simultaneously with on-road signage produced lower speed deviations therefore better vehicle control. Age differences were observed in vehicle control as well, suggesting the need for personalization of sign messages according to individual characteristics. This study is an initial step to examine the use of in-vehicle displays for messaging service logos as an example of non-safety-related information. The study is ongoing, and findings could provide a basis for in-vehicle display and on-road sign design for non-safety-related information.