Measuring Driver Distraction with the Box Task – A Summary of Two Experimental Studies

The evaluation of the distraction potential of secondary task activities while driving has traditionally been focused on visual-manual tasks. In previous years, different test protocols have been developed and standardized to evaluate the distraction effects of in-vehicle information systems while driving. However, the assessment of cognitive distraction has not received much attention in this context. In the present paper, a new method, that combines a two-dimensional tracking task (the so called ‘Box Task’) with the Detection Response Task, is proposed. Thus, visual-manual as well as cognitive distraction effects can be assessed. Two evaluation studies are summarized that confirm the ability of this new evaluation method to distinguish between different types and levels of distraction.