Article ID: e26.53
Auditory information can draw drivers’ spatial attention while driving. Therefore, maintaining audio-visual displays in proximity is preferable; however, the optimal proximity for effective driver information support remains unclear. Moreover, spatial constraints within vehicles render it difficult to position audio-visual displays at the same location, underscoring the need to clarify the acceptable angular differences for in-vehicle information design. In this study, using a driving simulator, we examined the effectiveness of support for information acquisition when visual and auditory information were spatially misaligned. Auditory cues were presented simultaneously with visual targets at three relative positions: aligned direction, 20° inner (toward the vehicle center), and 20° outer (toward the vehicle periphery). The results indicate that a 20° difference between the visual and auditory information does not significantly affect the accuracy or response time when searching for visual information, driving performance (such as speed control), or subjective workload. This suggests that auditory information can effectively assist in visual information searches in vehicles, even when they are not perfectly co-located. These findings highlight the need for further investigation of acceptable angular differences in audio-visual display designs in vehicles.
