Sonopticon: Auditory Display in Automobile Interface Design

The multiplicity of interface elements in an automobile can present a hindrance to usability and safety. We prototyped and conducted preliminary testing of an automobile driving interface. Our key design principle was to enhance driver situational awareness while minimizing distractions. We aimed to accomplish this task by exploiting the benefits of an auditory display coupled with a minimized visual head up display (HUD). Results from our testing indicated that this approach could be an effective method of improving driver safety in hazardous situations.