Measuring the Cognitive Demands of In-vehicle Dashboard and Centre Console Tasks

The cognitively demanding dashboard and centre console tasks that drivers face while operating a vehicle were assessed through a lab based study. Thirty-four participants drove a simulated course for approximately 20 minutes whilst completing a series of secondary tasks. During the simulation, continuous assessment of driving performance, reaction time and indicators of cognitive burden were collected. Following the driving exercise, participants were asked to complete a survey for self-assessment of secondary task difficulty. The survey results reveal that drivers find using the satellite navigation system as the most challenging and most distracting task.