Integrating intelligent and connected technologies in vehicles has significantly
enriched the information environment for drivers, aiding them in making
comprehensive driving decisions. However, inadequate information display may
lead drivers to miss crucial information or increase their cognitive load,
thereby affecting driving safety and user experience. It is essential to study
drivers’ preferences for in-vehicle information display, the factors influencing
these preferences, and to present information through appropriate modalities and
carriers. Drawing on 695 valid questionnaire responses, this study investigates
drivers’ preferences for recommendatory, explanatory, alerting, and warning
information across three display modalities and six display carriers. A
multivariate ordered probability model was further developed to examine the
influence of user characteristics on these preferences. The results showed that
drivers preferred visual cues over auditory ones, with a selection frequency
that was 5.253 times higher (p < 0.001). Additionally, auditory cues were
preferred 3.265 times more than tactile cues (p < 0.001). In terms of the
interface, drivers favored the center console, which was preferred 1.058 times
more than dashboard (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the HUD was found to be
significantly better than steering wheel vibrations, being preferred 2.899 times
more (p < 0.001). The study found that the choice of message type influences
user preferences. Warning messages had a visual choice preference that was
1.669% higher than that for alert messages (p = 0.042). Additionally, auditory
choices for alert messages were significantly enhanced, being 11.079% higher
than regular messages (p < 0.001). User characteristics also played a
significant role in these preferences. Women showed a lower preference for
visual messages compared to men, with a ratio of 0.62 (p < 0.05). Senior
drivers were less likely to choose visual dashboards, with the likelihood
decreasing to 0.82 for each age group (p = 0.017). Furthermore, individuals with
higher levels of education showed a preference for auditory messages, with the
preference increasing to 1.23 for each education stratum (p < 0.05). The
findings provide theoretical support for selecting appropriate modalities and
carriers in in-vehicle information displays, particularly for tailoring displays
to various information types and user groups.
