ecoDriver (Work Package 12): Multi-modal in-vehicle and nomadic device eco-driving support for car drivers and truck drivers
This part of the ecoDriver project focused on the design of feedback inside the vehicle to help people drive in the most fuel-efficient way. People made comparisons between various methods of eco-driving feedback provided to them during a drive in the driving simulator. Assistance was provided visually on the glass dashboard or through a haptic pedal (capable of varying the resisting force of the accelerator to the driver’s pushing). Both of these simulator components were installed specifically for the project, and now provide a vastly improved array of in-vehicle stimulus presentation possibilities at the driving simulator. Auditory feedback was also included. This work informed a subsequent study in which drivers used the “winning systems” from the first study in a more prolonged and demanding drive, where their eco-driving performance was placed under greater scrutiny.
Below: An example of an in-vehicle eco-driving interface tested.