Advanced Traveler Information Systems and Commercial Vehicle Operations Components of the Intelligent Transportation Systems: On-road Evaluation of ATIS Messages

007953441998PDFResearch PaperFHWA-RD-99-132Advanced traveler information systemsCommercial vehicle operationsDriver support systemsHuman factorsUnited States. Federal Highway AdministrationHooey, BLKantowitz, BHSimsek, OVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityFederal Highway AdministrationThis report describes the results of an on-road study that examined how Advanced Traveler Information Systems (ATIS) information influences driver behavior. The objective of the study was to develop ATIS design guidelines, primarily for In-Vehicle Signing and Information Systems (ISIS) and In-Vehicle Safety Advisory and Warning Systems (IVSAWS), to define the amount and format of information that can safely be displayed in an ATIS. A general issue facing ATIS designers is to determine how much information can safely be presented in an ATIS. This study investigated rates of one, two, or three message presentations per minute. No effects of information density were observed on driving performance. Another general issue that faces ATIS designers is how message potency (i.e., message style and display modality) affects driving safety and compliance with ATIS messages. Message potency is shown to have an important effect on both compliance and driving safety, confirming previous findings on how particular ATIS design characteristics can undermine driving safety by fostering an over-reliance on ATIS information. Also investigated in this study was whether advance notification messages that warn drivers of upcoming route guidance instructions are helpful. The results show that the drivers make use of advance notification messages to prepare for upcoming turns