Gauges design for a digital instrument cluster: Efficiency, visual capture, and satisfaction assessment for truck driving

Abstract This study aims at increasing knowledge of the best way to design trucks’ gauges on digital instrument clusters. Trucks are equipped with many gauges that the driver has to monitor while driving. Digital instrument clusters offer new design possibilities and the human factors literature presents only limited answers on safe and efficient gauge designs. Eighteen truck drivers were presented with eight gauges with different shapes, orientation and indicators to perform three reading tasks (quantitative, qualitative and check reading). Results showed that gauge design impacted task completion times, eyes on-gauge duration and satisfaction. Horizontal gauges and pointer indicators were more efficient and less demanding visually. On the subjective side, circular and horizontal gauges were preferred by drivers. Specific gauge designs implied a gain in visual demand up to 250 ms. For the design of gauges on digital instrument cluster, information processing can be facilitated thanks to basic design changes.

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