Mental Workload of Voice Interactions with 6 Real-World Driver Interfaces

Hands-free voice interaction is an increasingly common option in new vehicles. Recent research suggests that hands-free interactions with speech-to-text systems may require significantly more cognitive effort than previously anticipated. This high level of mental workload may both keep drivers from using the technology and potentially create additional safety concerns for the driver. However, little prior research has measured the cognitive demands of simple voice based tasks using real-world systems. The current study evaluated the mental demands of a small set of auditory-vocal vehicle commands using five 2013 and one 2012 model year OEM infotainment systems. Results indicate that well executed voice systems impose little additional cognitive demand while poorly executed systems may significantly elevate workload