User perception and ergonomic display layout design of truck camera monitor system

A camera monitor system (CMS) provides side/rear views via in-vehicle displays by replacing the existing mirrors with miniature cameras. Two surveys were conducted to determine the overall perception of truck drivers toward CMS compared to the conventional mirrors and to identify the ergonomic CMS display layout. Thirty experienced truck drivers evaluated CMS compared to the existing mirror system using six evaluation measures (intention to use, safety, convenience, rapidity and accuracy, preference, and superiority). Each respondent also evaluated eight different layout design alternatives using seven ergonomic evaluation measures (rapidity, accuracy, safety, convenience, learnability, intuitiveness, and preference). The design alternatives were developed by combining the locations of two truck CMS displays - one is side display replacing the main and wide-angle exterior mirrors and the other one is front display replacing the front mirror. The study results revealed that truck drivers rated the CMS highly compared to the existing mirror system across all six measures, suggesting the need for further academic and industrial research/development and thereby wider introduction of truck CMS. Also, the layout wherein the side and front displays were positioned at the A-pillar and middle-top-of-windshield locations, respectively, was found to be the best and its design characteristics were: 1) spatial correspondence between the provided information and the in-vehicle location for both the side and front displays, 2) spatial compatibility with driver expectation for the side display, 3) reduction in the eye movement required for the front display, and 4) spatial compatibility by relative position between the side and front displays.