Flip this Car! Maximizing the Underutilized, Physical Space in the Car with Voice, Gaze, and Smart Windows

Authors

Dr. Nils Lenke, Dr. Carie Cunningham, Dr. Markus Funk, Dr.-Ing. Mohammad Mehdi Moniri, Adam Emfield, M.S. Nuance Communications, Aachen

Summary

Voice assistants can help drivers access information and entertainment while driving. Especially with increasing automation, the interaction with voice assistants can become more extensive as drivers need to perform less and less actions to actually drive the car. Thus, the modern car more and more becomes a hub for information and entertainment. A smart in-car assistant would therefore not only be limited to voice anymore but will consist of more visual components. In this paper, we investigate which visual representation is the most appropriate for ensuring the least driver distraction and maximum usability. Through a user study with 24 participants, we compare four different visual representations of a voice-enabled smart assistant for usage in a simulation of a level 4 autonomous vehicle. The results indicate that a smartphone-based visual representation of a smart voice-enabled assistant leads to drivers paying less attention to their surroundings compared to not having a visual representation. Eye tracking results show more eye fixations off of the windshield in the cell phone and infotainment conditions as compared to the baseline and windshield conditions. Further, qualitative feedback indicates that the actual driving task, although driving in a level 4 autonomous vehicle, is still perceived as important.

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