The box task - a method for assessing in-vehicle system demand

The use of advanced in-vehicle information systems (IVIS) and other complex devices such as smartphones while driving can lead to driver distraction, which, in turn, increases safety-critical event risk. Therefore, using methods for measuring driver distraction caused by IVIS is crucial when developing new in-vehicle systems. In this paper, we present the setup and implementation of the Box Task combined with a Detection Response Task (BT+DRT) as a tool to assess visual-manual and cognitive distraction effects. The BT+DRT represents a low-cost and easy-to-use method which can be easily implemented by researchers in laboratory settings and which was validated in previous research. Moreover, at the end of this paper we describe the experimental procedure, the data analysis and discuss potential modifications of the method.• The setup and implementation of the Box Task combined with a Detection Response Task (BT+DRT) is described.• The method allows for measuring visual-manual and cognitive distraction of drivers.• The BT+DRT is a cost-effective and easy-to-use method that can be implemented in laboratory settings or driving simulators.