Effect of AR-HUD Warning Information Presentation Modes on Driver Situation Awareness under Single-Hazard Scenarios

Abstract

Drivers are prone to Cognitive Tunneling while driving. This study aims to discuss which Augmented Reality Head-Up Display (AR-HUD) warning information flashing mode can effectively break this effect when drivers face a single-hazard scenarios.Twelve drivers were recruited for a simulated driving experiment. The study used four warning information flashing modes (non-flashing, 25%, 50%, and 75% flashing duty cycles) and three secondary task immersion levels (low, medium, and high) as independent variables. Reaction time, subjective perception scores, and objective perception accuracy were quantitatively evaluated. The results showed that reaction times tended to increase as secondary task immersion became deeper. The non-flashing mode caused the most severe reaction delays under high immersion conditions. Comparisons revealed that Flashing Mode 2 (50% duty cycle) had the optimal intervention effect. It shortened reaction times by nearly half under high immersion and received the highest subjective scores. Conversely, Flashing Mode 3 (75% duty cycle) had the lowest objective accuracy, indicating that excessive flashing frequency causes visual interference. Therefore, the AR-HUD warning signal in Flashing Mode 2 is the most effective at breaking cognitive tunneling. It significantly shortens reaction times while maintaining high situation awareness. Future AR-HUD interface designs should prioritize this parameter. Designs should also avoid high-frequency flashing strategies that lead to misjudgment, in order to enhance driving safety in complex environments.

Keywords: AR-HUD, Warning Information, Single-hazard Scenarios, Situation Awareness, Cognitive Tunneling

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1008065