Approaches to Supporting Driver Attention
As vehicle interfaces, driver assistance systems, and consumer expectations evolve, traditional approaches focused on limiting distraction may be insufficient to address the dynamic relationship between driving demand, driver state, system capability, and attention over time. Building on the AHEAD framework for driver attention support, this workshop will further examine how to move beyond reactive restriction toward more proactive, context-sensitive approaches to supporting driver attention.
Through a brief framing presentation and two moderated panels, the workshop will explore how attention-centric design, scalable sensing approaches, and adaptive countermeasures can help drivers rebuild situation awareness before high-risk states emerge. The workshop aims to discuss research, evaluation, and design priorities for collaborative driver-vehicle systems that support drivers in remaining ready to respond when needed.
This session will highlight the growing complexity of the in‑vehicle environment, the ongoing transition to automation, and the societal shifts reshaping driver behaviour and expectations. From there, our goal is to spark a rich, multi-perspective discussion by bringing together strategic thinkers, industry leaders, and pioneering researchers.
The workshop is hosted by Bryan Reimer1, Lee Skrypchuk2, Alex Noble3, Bruce Mehler1, and supported by Linda Angell4.
1 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2 JLR
3 CARIAD
4 Touchstone Evaluations, Inc.
Timing: October 20, 08:30-10:15
Venue: Room Tesla, Lindholmen Conference Centre
Workshop fee: 250 SEK (150 SEK for students), including light breakfast (sandwich, coffee, tea, juice), water, fruit, and sweets
How to prospectively assess the safety impact of HMIs and DMS‑based safety systems
This 1.5‑hour workshop focuses on practical and quantitative methods for prospectively assessing the safety impact of HMIs and DMS–based safety systems. The emphasis is on how safety impacts can be evaluated before large‑scale field data are available, using data solely from controlled experiments.
The workshop will address key methodological questions, including: How can we establish and validate that selected performance indicators are meaningful proxies for safety impact? Is it possible to assess absolute safety effects, or must assessments be relative—and if so, relative to what? How can between‑driver and within‑driver variability be incorporated into safety assessments? How can contextual factors be accounted for in a prospective evaluation? How can we (and must we?) practically move beyond simple eye‑on‑road–based assessment approaches? What can be said about driver adaptation effects over time?
The first 25 minutes of the workshop will consist of short presentations by 3–4 researchers, each outlining their perspective and approach to these challenges. These presentations will serve as a starting point for interactive group discussions. The workshop will, based on the questions outlines above, include a discussion of the strengths and limitations of different methods, as well as open research gaps in the prospective safety impact assessment of HMIs and DMS‑based systems.
Timing: October 20 10:30-12:00
Venue: Room Tesla, Lindholmen Conference Centre
Workshop fee: 250 SEK (150 SEK for students), including sandwich, coffee, tea, water, fruit, and sweets
MKON has been contracted to manage the conference secretariat. If you have any questions or need any further information you are most welcome to contact:
Hotel, Registration & Abstract
Malin Nilsson, Project Coordinator
malin@mkon.se
+46 (0)737-13 64 88
Sponsors & Exhibitors
Sara Lago, Project Manager
sara@mkon.se
+46 (0)708-66 99 67
