Sensitivity of subjective questionnaires to cognitive loading while driving with navigation aids: a pilot study.

Area of Science:

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Cognitive Psychology
• Automotive Engineering

Background:

• Automated driving systems require understanding cognitive task interference on driving performance.
• Crew members may perform communication and planning tasks while driving.
• Subjective questionnaires can identify sources of task interference in automated vehicle design.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of cognitive tasks on driving performance in an automated system.
• To assess the utility of subjective questionnaires in measuring cognitive loading.

Main Methods:

• Sixteen participants drove a simulator with automated road-turn cues and responded to spoken test questions.
• Tasks included repeating sentences, math problems, logical puzzles, and route planning.
• Subjective questionnaires were administered post-trial to assess perceived cognitive effects.

Main Results:

• Road-turn cues improved driving speed; cognitive tests reduced vehicle recall.
• Combined cues enhanced reasoning clarity and trust compared to map-only.
• Cognitive tests increased perceived workload, reduced situational awareness, and heightened stress, especially during route planning.

Conclusions:

• Subjective questionnaires are sensitive to cognitive loading effects.
• Questionnaires can guide the development of automated driving aid designs.