In-Vehicle Navigation Devices: Effects on the Safety of Driver Performance

Walker, J.; Alicandri, Elizabeth; Sedney, Catherine A.; Roberts, King · 1990 · ROSA P / United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway Administration

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Summary

This 1990 study by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) investigated the impact of in-vehicle navigation devices on driver safety and performance. Motivated by the anticipated proliferation of onboard guidance systems to alleviate urban traffic congestion, the research addressed the critical human factors concern that such devices might impose cognitive and perceptual workloads that compromise safe vehicle operation. The study specifically examined how device modality (audio vs. visual) and display complexity affected driving performance across different age groups and under varying levels of task difficulty. The experiment utilized the FHWA’s Highway Driving Simulator (HYSIM) to test 126 licensed drivers, balanced by gender and divided into three age categories: younger (average age 22.8), middle-aged (average age 37.6), and older (average age 62.8). Participants navigated a 26-mile simulated route through Detroit, Michigan, using one of seven conditions: a control group using strip maps, or six experimental groups using audio or visual devices of low, medium, or high complexity. To simulate realistic driving demands, the researchers systematically increased workload across three successive sections of the drive. Psychomotor load was increased by narrowing lane widths (from 12 to 8 feet), introducing crosswinds, and adding other vehicles. Perceptual load was increased by requiring drivers to monitor dashboard gauges for abnormal readings, while cognitive load was increased through mental arithmetic tasks related to fuel mileage. Key findings indicated that audio navigation devices were somewhat safer than visual devices. Visual devices, particularly those with high complexity, resulted in longer reaction times to gauge changes and slower driving speeds during navigation tasks. Moderate display complexity was generally preferable to high complexity. The study also revealed a significant interaction between age and workload: higher levels of difficulty negatively affected the performance of older drivers to a greater extent than that of younger or middle-aged drivers. Older drivers exhibited greater deterioration in lateral placement variance and reaction times under high-load conditions. Additionally, the complex visual device produced the most significant performance decrements, including the longest reaction times and slowest speeds in sections where navigation tasks were performed. The significance of this research lies in its provision of empirical guidelines for the design of Intelligent Vehicle/Highway Systems. The results suggest that to minimize safety risks, navigation systems should prioritize audio output over visual displays and avoid high-complexity visual interfaces. Furthermore, the findings highlight the need for age-sensitive design considerations, as older drivers are more susceptible to performance degradation under high-workload conditions. These conclusions offer critical insights for researchers, planners, and manufacturers developing onboard guidance technologies to ensure they enhance rather than hinder driving safety.

Key finding

Audio navigation devices were found to be somewhat safer than visual devices, moderate display complexity was preferable to high complexity, and higher workload levels affected older drivers to a greater extent than younger or middle-aged drivers.

Methodology

simulator

Sample size: 126

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

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• nav systems
• mental demand
• manual
• hud ar windshield
• in vehicle coaching
• temporal

Information type

What kind of knowledge this paper contributes, grouped by family — independent of topic (what it is about) and method (how it was studied).

• Empirical Findings: behavioral performance data
• Methodological Resource: validation psychometrics, tool software