Risky Gadgets to the Rescue – Designing Engaging Apps against Driver Boredom and Distractions
This doctoral study is situated at the intersection of human-computer interaction design and road safety. Mobile devices and internet connectivity have become part of our everyday lives. As a result, there has been an increase in drivers accessing social media and apps behind the steering wheel, and mobile devices are often portrayed as unwanted distractions. Regardless of punitive strategies such as fines and demerit points, drivers will continue to bring their own devices and use them within the car. I explore how these technologies can be re-contextualised as driving tools rather than road safety threats. Specifically, I critically analyse the challenges and opportunities in the design of interactive apps to alleviate driver boredom and re-engage drivers during periods of under-stimulation. The concept involves the use of real-time data, location-based services, ambient interface design, and gamification to provide safe stimuli while driving.
My data indicates that driver boredom is most likely to occur in low-stimulation conditions such as routine drives, speed maintaining, or low-density traffic. This uncomfortable state may then trigger the seeking of distractions (e.g. phone use), which in turn can lead to accidents. Intervening in the driving task in such a way that it makes low-stimulation driving more engaging and less boring could have safety and user experience benefits. Semi-automated driving further amplifies the significance of this work. A cutback in manual control is likely to cause boredom states more often, yet requires drivers to remain vigilant and take over control at any time.
To date, boredom and under-stimulation have not received much attention in the automotive user interfaces and road safety research communities, where the emphasis has been on cognitive load and distraction. My work aims to explore this knowledge gap. I use a human-centred design approach to address the question: How can we leverage mobile and wearable devices to re-engage drivers in the driving task? I argue that these devices can be used for 1) sensing vehicle and driver data, and 2) as platforms for engaging apps to reduce distractions and boredom. As part of this endeavour, I explore ambient interface design and gamification as ways to provide real-time driving feedback and engage users in the driving task. Applying human-centred design and reframing distraction as engagement is a new and provocative approach. Insights gained from this research study will deepen our understanding of driver engagement, which is as relevant to manual driving as it is to semi-automated mobility.
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Fabius Steinberger is a PhD candidate with the Urban Informatics Research Lab and Centre for Accident Research & Road Safety – Queensland (CARRS-Q). He received his Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from University of Munich (LMU) focussing on Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, and Business Administration. He also received an Honours Degree in Technology Management from the Center for Digital Technologies and Management Munich (CDTM).
Eprints link:
http://eprints.qut.edu.au/view/person/Steinberger,_Fabius.html