A Study on Guiding an Attention Direction of a Driver by an Ambient Visual Mark

This paper examines the possibility of a new warning method that would increase drivers' sensitivity to hazardous factors in the driving environment. The method is based on a visual warning mark in the peripheral vision, called an ambient warning. In this study, the use of ambient visual marks is investigated. These marks are soft visual warnings and lack officious interference with the task performed in the central vision field. Experimentation with a 27-inch monitor display resulted in decreased response times for detecting a flashing mark when an ambient mark was shown in advance. The results suggest that information observed in the peripheral vision field could help people drive more safely.