A Method to Evaluate the Impact of Assistive Displays on the Comfort and Safety of Driving in Low Visibility Conditions

Abstract

Natural phenomena may affect car drivers in terms of having a clear view. It may hinder or distract the driver’s eyesight from essential objects, such as traffic signs, people, or other obstacles in the street. A poor view for a driver could cause accidents that lead to significant harm. Fog is one of these natural phenomena that could impact a driver’s concentration. This study aims to test a methodology for evaluating the use of an assistive computer display, especially in fog situations. An experiment is performed with participants who perform simulated driving under controlled fog conditions with or without an assistive display. Assistive displays in this experiment relay a camera’s view as a baseline test but could also relay augmented reality in future tests. Principled evaluation of participants’ identification of the traffic signs by their naked eye compared to the camera’s view can be used in subsequent research to evaluate the promise of assistive displays with different levels of augmented reality. A methodology to perform such evaluations is developed and tested with objective measurements and surveys.