Impact of AR Head-Up Displays on Driver Performance and Safety Across Age Groups

Abstract

In-Vehicle Information Systems (IVIS) can enhance driving performance, yet poorly designed interfaces may increase distraction and crash risk. This study investigated how different display modalities influence driving performance and user experience across age groups. A simulator-based experiment was conducted with younger and older drivers using head-down displays (HDD), head-up displays (HUD), and augmented reality head-up displays (AR-HUD), with and without auditory support. Results showed that AR-HUD improved overall driving stability, reduced collision risk, and enhanced navigation performance compared to conventional displays. The integration of auditory cues further improved performance, eliminating navigation errors. Notably, although older drivers exhibited lower baseline performance, they benefited substantially from AR-HUD in terms of vehicle control and lane-keeping stability. These findings highlight the effectiveness of spatially integrated and multimodal interface design in improving driving safety, particularly for older drivers.

Keywords: Age, In-vehicle Information Systems (IVIS), Head-down Display (HDD), Head-up Display (HUD), Augmented Reality Head-up Display (AR-HUD), Auditory Display, Driving Simulator

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1007883