The Effects of Icon Features on In-Vehicle Infotainment Systems on Drivers' Performance, Distraction and Satisfaction

Abstract

The Icons are important in Human-Machine Interface elements in-vehicle infotainment systems regarding usability and driving safety. The study is to examine the effects of different characteristics of icons in in-vehicle infotainment systems on performance, distraction, and satisfaction, including while prior studies have mainly concentrated on investigating variables such as icons' color and symbols. The current study attempted to find the effects of the border of shape (Square, Circle) and the color of icons (Color, Monochrome) on driving performance and experience. A total of twenty-four participated in a driving simulator experiment, during which they were exposed to different prototypes of infotainment systems that included varying icon designs. The experiment was conducted using a driving simulator, a controller, a tablet PC, software, and video-recording tools to investigate dependent variables, including task performance, eye attention profiles, driving performance, subjective workload, and subjective satisfaction. The results revealed the color of icons marginally improves task completion time, driving performance factors, lowers workload, and increases confidence in subjective workload assessments. On the other hand, the shape of borders generally exhibits no significant differences in most variables; however, it contributes to higher satisfaction in subjective assessments. The findings of the study provide practical recommendations for optimizing the design of touch buttons and color combinations to improve the efficiency of information display and input, aiming to enhance driving safety and overall driver satisfaction.