Designing in-vehicle infotainment systems: understanding driver mental models and system use

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GM Canada is a major Canadian automotive manufacturer, with many plants and research centers in Ontario. Of strategic importance to the company is its line of in-vehicle infotainment systems. An infotainment system is a collection of hardware and software in vehicles that users interact with via a graphical user interface. These systems offer a variety of functionalities, including audio and video entertainment, smartphone pairing, navigation systems, and in-vehicle climate control just to name a few. Due to increases in sensor technology, infotainment systems have become increasingly advanced with a greater number of functionalities offered. However, the user interface design has not always supported the driver's ability to fully comprehend and utilize the benefits offered by this system. Further, confusing interactions with these systems might generate increased risk for driver distraction. GM Canada has expressed interest in extending its knowledge about human interaction with their infotainment systems through a research based understanding of how drivers explore, learn, and use these systems. To achieve this goal, the Human Factors and Applied Statistics (HFASt) Laboratory at the University of Toronto will help design and conduct focus group interviews and surveys to understand which infotainment design elements support the formation of accurate user mental models, i.e., which design elements enable people to fully understand the capabilities of their infotainment systems. The HFASt Labratory has expertise in human factors engineering and has had extensive experience researching driver behavior, driver distraction, and in-vehicle information system design. The insights gained from this project will extend GM's expertise in developing user-centered infotainment interfaces for vehicles that are intuitive and limit driver distraction. It is our aim that this initial collaboration will pave the road for future collaborations between the HFASt lab and GM Canada, more specifically, to develop domain specific theories for designs of vehicle systems (e.g., automated control) and how they relate to how drivers learn and use these systems.