Application of Haptic Feedback Technology in Automotive Information Systems

In recent years, cars have been becoming more and more intelligently connected, and modern vehicles have been transformed into mobile computer platforms with information systems such as navigation systems, entertainment systems, climate control systems, and vehicle performance systems. The amount of information that drivers can access and interact with in the vehicle has increased significantly. However, operating a wide range of automotive information systems while driving can distract the driver’s visual and auditory attention, causing distracted driving and increasing the likelihood of traffic accidents. The use of haptic modalities while driving can complement audiovisual modalities, reduce the driver’s audiovisual burden, and improve driving safety, interaction reliability and comfort. On the basis of summarizing the development history of haptic feedback technology in automotive applications, this paper classified the specific types of in-vehicle interaction activities and haptic modalities that can be displayed in the vehicle, and analyzed the research progress of haptic feedback technology in automotive information systems from three directions, namely, in-vehicle haptic warning system, in-vehicle haptic navigation system, and in-vehicle haptic operation assistance system. It also summarized the main sources of haptic excitation in in-vehicle warning systems, navigation systems and operation assistance systems, respectively. And by analyzing the relevant literature, it expatiated the experimental environment, evaluation indexes, evaluation methods and results of the research on the influence of automotive haptic information systems on driving performance. Based on the shortcomings of existing technologies and research methods, the paper discussed and prospected the future research of automotive haptic information system from the perspectives of the location of haptic feedback excitation signals, the selection of modes and parameters, the study of behavioral adaptation problems, the improvement of the experimental environment, the consideration of different factors affecting haptic perception, and the integration of multiple automotive haptic information systems.