Abstract
To handle the growing amount of information, drivers get while on the road, an integration of functionalities is necessary. Today´s Driver-Information-Systems (DIS) control audioequipment, navigation, telephone, and automatic climate control. Latest developements also add (limited) Internet access and telematic services.
Automotive OEMs and 1st Tier suppliers sell their products wordlwide. To reduce costs and development time, the preferred solution is to sell the same system in all markets. On the other hand research (e.g. Roese, or Honold, or Jackson) shows, that handling technology is heaviliy determined by culture. To be successful, the human machine interface (HMI) of technological products has to fit the expectations and the background of users living in different cultures.
An international usability study was conducted. Three different DIS were tested in Germany, the USA, and Japan. Two of the systems were OEM equipment, one was an aftermarket system. They differed in the input device (two with rotary push buttons, one with a touchscreen), the internal structure (different interaction procedures and menuetrees) and the output device (two with colorscreens, one with a small monochrome display). A sample of 20-30 subjetcs used all systems in each of the locations. 5 different tasks were given. Data was collected with different questionnaires, interviews, video analysis and expert ratings on performace and mistakes. Results show clear differences between the markets. Performace parameters differ just as much as subjective measures like acceptance or willingness to buy a system. This shows HMI solutions should be modified to the different markets.
In the presentation hypothesis on the different markets will be developed. Tools and methods of the study will be presented. Detailed results will be shown and discussed. The focus of the discussion will on the international aspect. Solutions for different markets will be shown.