Evaluating AR glasses for driving assistance: a comparative case study against an AR-HUD in simulated driving with...

The ongoing advancement of technology has established Augmented Reality (AR) as a significant component of in-vehicle assistance systems. AR glasses, an emerging form of AR device, can present information within the driver's forward field of view. Consequently, there is a view that AR glasses are potential devices that can perform functions similar to those of Augmented Reality Head-Up Displays (AR-HUDs). However, systematic research has yet to verify the feasibility of AR glasses as a viable alternative in the automotive domain. Furthermore, as AR glasses can present both navigation and infotainment information, this research aims to conduct a case study to compare their effects on driving performance when displaying these distinct information types.

We utilized both a commercial AR glasses device and a real AR-HUD device. Thirty-eight participants were randomly assigned to one of the two AR device groups (AR glasses or AR-HUD) and completed simulated driving tasks under two information conditions (navigation and infotainment). Data on driving performance under both critical and non-critical scenarios, as well as subjective evaluations, were collected.

Compared to the AR-HUD group, the AR glasses group exhibited lower speed variation during navigation tasks and reported lower disturbed-by-display scores. However, the AR glasses group demonstrated longer reaction time under the infotainment condition.

The study shows the relative effectiveness of the specific AR glasses in automotive applications, but also reveals potential safety hazards. While this type of validation study applies to specific AR glasses devices, the findings still provide initial guidance for AR glasses in future in-vehicle assistance systems.