The iconography of vehicle automation—a focus group study

Abstract

SAE level 2 and 3 semi-autonomous vehicles are widely available but, due to the nature of automation, their in-vehicle displays are required to communicate more complex information to the driver. Examination of interfaces from a variety of manufacturers revealed a clear lack of consistency in the way key information is displayed. Different manufacturers have adopted icons varying in shape and colour to convey the same message. When driving a semi-autonomous vehicle, mode awareness is critical for trust, performance and safety. Standardisation of icons has been shown to have many benefits including opening products up to wider international markets by helping overcome language and cultural barriers, by providing a method of communication which can surpass them. However, the current lack of standardisation in icon design could cause mode confusion and has little cross-vehicle compatibility. To understand the impact of mode confusion on users, a focus group was held in which participants were asked to interpret the meaning of icons from a variety of different driver interfaces. Ambiguity in user interpretations makes the case for the introduction of new ISO standard icons to better support drivers in SAE level 2 and 3 automated vehicles.

Usability of Certain Symbols Indicating Automobile Safety Status Based on Youth Assessment

“…Similarly, Ref. [6] also does not mention any statistical tests being used to check hypotheses about symbols used in cars. Instead, the study used a qualitative approach to investigate the effectiveness of using icons to convey information about automation systems to users.…”

“…As electric and self-driving vehicles become more and more popular, the display systems that are part of these vehicles will become increasingly important and complex, playing a major role in the overall driving experience. In connection with the previous, drivers' perception has been taken into account in the field of using instrument panels, driver behavior, safety assessment using driving simulators and field data, as well as surrogate safety measures (see for example [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]).…”

“…One newer research work [6] included icons on dashboard panels that were designed by various car manufacturers. In this study, a variety of icons were tested (although the names of these icons were not mentioned) related to automation mode that were not standardized across different manufacturers of SAE level 2 vehicles and SAE level 3 vehicles.…”

“…As it can be noticed, refs. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] did not involve dashboard symbols indicating automobile trouble and safety status.…”

Analysis of the Application of Occupational Safety and Health Signs as an Effort to Reduce Risks in Building Construction Projects

“…Safety signs are vital for promoting a safe working environment and ensuring that workers remain aware of potential hazards. Such signs typically use clear and concise language or universally recognized symbols to convey important safety information [15]; [16]. For instance, a common safety sign for this purpose might include a symbol indicating danger (such as a skull and crossbones) along with text that reads "Caution: Safety First" or "Stay Alert, Stay Safe."…”