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The modern passenger vehicle contains numerous sources of information. In one sense, all of the messages sent from in-vehicle devices are attractive, at least from the viewpoint of the designer who has incorporated them into the vehicle to make driving more pleasurable and safer. Yet in another sense, these same messages can present distractions to the driver resulting in diminished driving pleasure and possibly unsafe vehicle control. Thus, a message that at one moment might be attractive and useful to the driver, at a different moment, especially one where attention must be focused outside the vehicle, becomes an unwanted distraction. This paper reviews three sources of in-vehicle information: advanced traveler information systems, safety and collision avoidance systems, and convenience and entertainment systems. A framework for integrating these sub-systems is outlined based upon human-centered design principles and functional characteristics of systems.

This paper describes the application of human factors research tools to the design of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). A key issue in the conduct of human factors research for ITS is to select a research tool that provides the desired design information at the lowest technical risk and lowest cost. Below, we describe three studies that addressed human performance issues associated with ITS, each using tools that were selected on the basis of explicit research objectives. Using the appropriate research tools will allow the human factors professional to meet the needs of ITS designers and developers and, most important of all, the drivers who will benefit from these systems.

The highly-automated glass cockpit offers many advantages. For example, it saves fuel compared to manual flight if weather conditions are not severe. But pilots regard automation as a mixed blessing (Wiener, Chidester, Kanki, Palmer, Curry, and Gregorich, 1991). From a human factors perspective, automation is not always an innate good. While proper use of automation can improve flight safety, automation also introduces the possibility of new kinds of error that might not occur with older flight decks. As is the case with any new technology, one must also take into account how people interact with new tools. This article focusses upon some of the potential problems that can occur with glass cockpits, especially as they relate to pilot workload. The goal of the article is not to condemn automation but instead to emphasize potential problems so that they can be avoided in the future. Designers should not eschew high levels of automation.