Loading Drivers to Their Limit: the Effect of Increasing Secondary Task on Driving

This paper outlines the results of a number of studies that were designed to create a series of suitable “secondary tasks” that would act as appropriate surrogate in-vehicle information systems (s-IVIS). In particular, an attempt was made to design tasks that would allow a step-by-step increase in visual or cognitive load. Following a brief introduction to the development of each s-IVIS, the paper will present results from a study which examined the effect of completing an auditory s-IVIS on a simulated driving task.