Vehicular HMI Controller Segmentation for Driver Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle human machine interfaces (HMIs) require drivers to use controls in multiple locations, often necessitating the driver to take a hand off the steering wheel and look away from the road, compromising safety and convenience.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that utilize a controller to provide distinct output control signals for a vehicular head-up display and digital cluster display, allowing for the presentation of different content types, such as immediate attention alerts on the head-up display and ongoing process information on the digital cluster display, while enabling touch-sensitive steering wheel inputs to manage display content, thereby keeping the driver's hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional HMI controls are distributed across multiple locations (steering wheel and centre stack), then vehicle functionality and capabilities can be expanded, but driver safety deteriorates due to the need to take hands off the steering wheel and look away from the road
Solution Approach 1:
The HMI system is segmented into multiple display zones (head-up display area, centre stack display area) with each zone presenting different types of content. The head-up display shows acute, time-critical information while the centre stack shows chronic, ongoing process information. This segmentation allows drivers to access expanded vehicle functionality through the centre stack without compromising safety, as critical alerts are immediately visible in the head-up display.
Solution Approach 2:
The head-up display acts as an intermediary between the road environment and the driver, presenting critical vehicle information in the driver's peripheral vision without requiring direct gaze. This intermediary display handles acute alerts and notifications, allowing the centre stack to provide comprehensive functionality while maintaining driver focus on the road.
2Adaptability or versatility
If controls are placed on the centre stack, then comprehensive vehicle control functionality is available, but ease of operation deteriorates as drivers must move hands between steering wheel and centre stack controls
Solution Approach 1:
Control functionality is segmented between steering wheel controls and centre stack controls based on task type. The steering wheel handles acute, safety-critical controls while the centre stack handles chronic, ongoing process controls. This segmentation optimizes ease of operation by placing each type of control in the most appropriate location.
3Device complexity
If all vehicle information is displayed on a single display location, then device complexity is reduced, but information effectiveness deteriorates due to inability to prioritize acute versus chronic content
Solution Approach 1:
The display system is segmented into multiple zones (head-up display and centre stack display) that present different types of information. This segmentation enables effective prioritization of information by location and type, with the head-up display showing acute, time-critical alerts and the centre stack showing chronic, ongoing process information. The segmentation is managed by a controller that automatically distributes content based on information priority and type.
Solution Approach 2:
Different display locations are assigned different qualities and functions. The head-up display area is optimized for acute, attention-requiring information in the driver's peripheral vision, while the centre stack area is optimized for chronic, ongoing process information. This local quality differentiation maximizes information effectiveness without requiring complex driver interaction.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of operating a controller of a vehicle human machine interface (HMI) is disclosed, comprising: providing first output control signals configured to cause a vehicular head up display (HUD) to present first content to a vehicle operator; and providing second output control signals configured to cause a vehicular digital cluster display (DCD) to present second content to the vehicle operator, different to the first content. The method can further comprise the receiving input control signals from a touch sensitive steering wheel, for interacting with the information presented on the HUD and/or DUD. A related apparatus, vehicular HMI and computer software, are also disclosed.