Novel route guidance displays

The problem of how a computer-based system could visually communicate to a driver how to proceed through a succession of intersections is addressed. Two different types of displays are compared: a traditional map display is used that shows the route to follow from a bird's eye view and in a global coordinate system; and a novel perspective display is developed that represents the driving instructions in a driver-centered coordinate system. Three related experiments are conducted, and the results indicate that a display that provides the driving instructions in a driver-centered framework performs best. These results lead to the proposal of a further display that combines the attractive features of both the map and the perspective display, thereby providing drivers with both a driver-centered and a global perspective.