ADVANCED TRAVELER INFORMATION SYSTEMS (ATIS). HUMAN FACTORS STAFF RESEARCH AT THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION

ATIS route guidance systems have the potential of providing a tremendous convenience to the driving public. In order to ensure that these systems are both usable and safe, research must be conducted to determine the optimal means of formatting route guidance information and presenting it to drivers who have a wide range of perceptual, cognitive, and physical abilities. Important considerations include: (1) How much information can be presented without overloading the driver and possibly compromising the safety of the driving task? (2) To what extent does turn-by-turn route guidance information facilitate navigation for older drivers and drivers with poor navigation skills? (3) What type of information presentation best facilitates driver reaction times and decision-making? (4) Where should the information be presented (e.g., dashboard versus head-up display)?