The Occlusion Method for Measuring Visual Demand at the IT-Based Driver’s Workplace
DOI: 10.54941/ahfe100053
archive: archived pipeline: cataloged verified
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Summary
This paper addresses the increasing visual demand and distraction risks posed by in-vehicle information systems (IVIS) and mobile information and communication technologies (ICT) at professional drivers’ workplaces. The motivation stems from the digitization of driving environments, where drivers frequently interact with multiple systems—such as navigation, telematics, and tablets—simultaneously. This high intensity of interaction can overwork cognitive resources, leading to significant distraction and potential accidents. The study aims to provide an objective method for assessing the visual demand of these secondary tasks to facilitate risk assessments and ergonomic optimizations, adhering to the standard ISO 16673. The methodology employs the occlusion method, utilizing liquid crystal spectacles that block the driver’s view at defined intervals to measure visual dependency. The experimental design involves ten licensed drivers with sufficient experience and routine in operating the relevant interfaces. Before formal testing, participants undergo training and dummy runs to familiarize themselves with the system and the secondary tasks, which are simulated using an Apple iPad 2 or original vehicle equipment. The proper test runs consist of five unoccluded (baseline) and five occluded trials for each participant. To control for habituation, two groups perform the trials in opposite orders. Additionally, two reference tasks are included: a tolerable task (changing the radio station) and a non-tolerable task (posting text on a social network via tablet). Subjective data is also collected via standardized questionnaires to complement the objective measurements. The core metric for interpreting visual demand is the resumability ratio (R), calculated by dividing the total shutter open time (TSOT) by the total task time unoccluded (TTTunoccl). An R value of 1 indicates that the task requires total visual control but causes no time delay due to interruption, suggesting it is unproblematic. An R value greater than 1 signifies an interruption-related delay, indicating high visual demand that requires further evaluation against the reference tasks to determine tolerability. Conversely, an R value less than 1 implies that the task can be partially controlled without visual attention, rendering it tolerable. The study outlines the current state of the test setup and the planned examination of specific systems, including navigation and tablet-based dispatcher communications, with the goal of objectifying demand to modify tasks and educate users. The significance of this work lies in its provision of a valid, practical framework for quantifying visual distraction in professional driving contexts. By translating complex ergonomic factors—such as task complexity, interface usability, and device visibility—into measurable cumulative visual effects, the method enables employers to conduct precise risk assessments. This approach supports the development of targeted prevention strategies, allowing for the optimization of man-machine interfaces and the reduction of accident risks associated with mobile ICT use in vehicles.
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| Stage | Outcome | Tool | Model | Prompt | Attempts | Completed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| discover | success | Crossref | — | — | 1 | 2026-08-09 |
| archive | success | canonical_url | — | — | 1 | 2026-08-09 |
| extract | success | pdftotext | — | — | 4 | 2026-08-10 |
| clean | success | clean | — | — | 2 | 2026-08-10 |
| chunk | success | chunk | — | — | 2 | 2026-08-10 |
| embed | success | embed | Qwen/Qwen3-Embedding-8B | — | 2 | 2026-08-10 |
| promote | success | — | — | — | 1 | 2026-08-09 |
| summarize | success | llm | qwen3.6-27b-nvidia | summ-v5 | 2 | 2026-08-10 |
| tag | success | vector_similarity | — | — | 17 | 2026-08-11 |
| verify | partial | — | — | — | 1 | 2026-08-10 |
Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-nvidia on 2026-08-10; verification: verified_with_issues.
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