Open AccessGetting drivers to do the right thing: a review of the potential for safely reducing energy consumption through design
Author(s) -
McIlroy Rich C.,
Stanton Neville A.,
Harvey Catherine
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
iet intelligent transport systems
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.579
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1751-9578
pISSN - 1751-956X
DOI - 10.1049/iet-its.2012.0190
Subject(s) - distraction , novelty , workload , energy consumption , risk analysis (engineering) , productivity , fuel efficiency , computer science , transport engineering , engineering , automotive engineering , business , philosophy , theology , macroeconomics , neuroscience , economics , electrical engineering , biology , operating system
Transport, particularly private vehicle use, contributes a disproportionately large amount to the degradation of the environment. Although advancements in energy production and vehicular technologies are critical for abatement, behaviour change will also have to be seen, hence the requirement for the application of Ergonomics. This review article aims to bring together various strands of research, including the effect of the design of a technological object on behaviour, the inter‐related nature of goals and feedback in guiding performance, the effect on fuel economy of different driving styles and the various challenges brought by hybrid and electric vehicles, including range anxiety, workload and distraction, complexity and novelty. Finally, it is argued that Ecological Interface Design, in presenting the constraints of the system to the driver, is well suited to deal with the novelty of the low‐carbon vehicle, supports the development of accurate mental‐models of the system, and can be used for the design of in‐vehicle interfaces that encourage energy‐conserving driving behaviours while minimising distraction and workload, thus ensuring safety.