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DENSO International America, Inc. and the University of Iowa-Operator Performance Laboratory (OPL) have developed a series of new Multi-Modal Interface for Drivers (MMID) in order to improve driver safety, comfort, convenience and connectivity. Three MMID concepts were developed: GUI 1, GUI 2 and GUI 1-HUD. All three of the MMIDs used a new Reconfigurable Haptic Joystick (RHJ) on the steering wheel and new concept HMI Dual Touch Function Switches (DTFS) device. The DTFS use capacitive and mechanic sensing located on the back of the steering wheel as input operation devices. Inputs from the new controls were combined with a large TFT LCD display in the instrument cluster, a Head Up Display (HUD) and Sound as output devices. The new MMID system was installed in a Lexus LS-430. The climate control panel and radio panels of the LS-430 were used as a baseline condition to which the new designs were compared.

In current general aviation aircraft it is not uncommon to find very old designs of electromechanical instruments next to state of the art pixel-based displays. A number of these instruments appear to be inadequate from a legibility, interpretability, and operational point of view. This paper contains a review of the relevant display reading performance literature. The key principles (luminance contrast and critical detail) of display legibility are demonstrated using a general aviation altimeter as an example. A particular safety concern is the legibility of the pressure display found on typical altimeter instruments.