Factors affecting drivers' off-road glance behavior while interacting with in-vehicle voice interfaces

Area of Science:

• Human-computer interaction
• Automotive safety
• Driver behavior research

Background:

• In-vehicle voice-based interfaces are increasingly used to reduce visual-manual distractions.
• Limited data exist on the actual visual demands and driver-specific factors influencing interaction with these systems.
• Understanding off-road visual behavior during voice interface use is crucial for safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate factors affecting drivers' off-road visual behavior when interacting with in-vehicle voice interfaces.
• To analyze how individual characteristics influence visual engagement with voice-based systems.
• To identify risks associated with prolonged eyes-off-road glances during voice interface operation.

Main Methods:

• Secondary data analysis using structural equation modeling.
• Utilized data from a large-scale field experiment involving highway driving and voice interface tasks.
• Focused on measuring off-road visual behavior during interaction with in-vehicle voice systems.

Main Results:

• Drivers can exhibit prolonged off-road visual behavior and risky glances even with voice interfaces.
• Older drivers tend to have longer eyes-off-road glances.
• Higher trust in technology correlates with increased off-road visual behavior.

Conclusions:

• Voice interfaces do not eliminate visual demands; prolonged off-road glances remain a concern.
• Individual factors like age and technology trust significantly influence driver visual behavior.
• Future research and system design should consider driver trust, perceptions, usage history, and age for safer interactions.