The Problem
New technologies are constantly being introduced to the vehicle interior, and drivers will have to learn how to operate the vehicle using these new technologies. Safe and efficient use of new technologies can be influenced by how efficiently operators develop an appropriate level of understanding (a mental model) of their operation.
The Question
We are trying to determine the nature of — and variants of — drivers’ mental models of ADAS/ADS technologies. We’re trying to determine how drivers’ mental models are formed and how they change over time, along with the sources of these changes. Are there specific events that occur while driving, or is there certain exposure to other sources of information such as vehicle manuals, sales representatives, friends, Internet articles and videos, ads, etc. that provide more influence to vehicle owners?
What We Did
We looked at three different arms of research to better understand how consumers interact with in-vehicle technologies, including the following:
1. Conducting qualitative and survey research, complied from focus groups and large surveys, aimed at better understanding the sources of information that lead to development of mental models.
2. Lab, simulator and physiological research aimed at the collection objective measures of what is happening cognitively with vehicle occupants, using measures such as EEG, EKG, and FNIRS.
3. On-the-road research observing how drivers interact with technologies that may be new to them after purchasing a vehicle, and observation of changes in interaction that occur as drivers become familiar with these technologies over time.
The Result
Upon completion of our study in late 2019, through our analysis of how consumers come to understand vehicle technologies, we will be able to develop more effective consumer education programs around in-vehicle technologies, along with in-vehicle technologies themselves.
This is a project in partnership with George Mason University and The Rockville Institute