A Preliminary Study about Preferences for 2D and 3D Maps for Car Navigation Systems
ISBN 978-85-88783-11-9
Authors
1Diegoli de Souza, R.; 2Azevedo Pugliesi, E.; 3Marques Ramos, A.P.
1UNIVERSIDADE ESTADUAL PAULISTA Email: r_diegoli@hotmail.com
2UNIVERSIDADE ESTADUAL PAULISTA Email: edmur@fct.unesp.br
3UNIVERSIDADE ESTADUAL PAULISTA Email: marques.engcart@gmail.com
Abstract
Car Navigation Systems (CNS) support drivers in navigation tasks. During route following in an urban area, tactical task happens all the time when drivers are preparing for maneuvering. Tactical task may require greater attention from the driver to make the right decision. CNS present navigation information through orthogonal view and perspective view, also called 2D map and 3D map, respectively. According to the literature, 3D maps may provide an intuitive navigation view, because its egocentric reference scheme has strong degree of similarity with the view that drivers has from the real world while they are driving. Industries have provided CNS with perspective maps, broadly. However, there is a considerable lack of work about designing and evaluating 3D maps for CNS. The objective of this study is to evaluate the subjective preference of a group of drivers, taking into account a set of 2D and 3D maps for CNS to support tactical tasks. This work was accomplished in two stages. In the first one, the maps were designed for a seven-inch monitor (a tablet display) by using ArcGIS ArcInfo ArcScene. Two types of maneuvers were considered, one simple (changing in direction of 90 degrees) and one complex in roundabout. To produce figure-ground segregation, the theme was composed of features such as car in blue, direction arrow in green having contour in black, and route in magenta. To produce background information the following was considered: block in white, main roads in yellow having contour in gray, local roads in light gray having contour in medium gray. Graphical and symbolization aspects were used for the process of viewing 3D maps. The result of the first stage is a total of 18 static maps. Each set of three maps represent navigational instructions to the driver with the vehicle being in the same distance to the turn (500, 250 or 50 meters) and preparing for simple maneuver or maneuver in roundabout, with three tilt angle camera (89, 45 or 30 degrees). 89 degrees was the maximum allowed by ArcScene, so it was called ‘orthogonal view‘, while 45 degrees was called medium inclination angle and 30 degrees as low inclination angle). In the second stage, it was evaluated the subjective preference for the maps. A total of 30 drivers (15 men and 15 women), users of car navigation systems, was used in the experiment, aged from 22-57. The monitor was fixed in the center of the windshield of a car, which was parked on road during the day. By keeping the car from the same distance from the maneuver, the maps were displayed from 'orthographic view' to medium and low inclinations, sequentially. Taking into account simple maneuver, being the car located at 500, 250 or 50 meters distant to the maneuver, 56.67%, 46.67% and 43.33% preferred 2D map, respectilvelly. Most of the drivers consider 2D map more appropriate to get distance to the maneuver, since it reduce distortions and provides a better definition of the elements present in the map. Taking into account maneuver in roundabout, being the car located at 500, 250 or 50 meters distant to the maneuver, 46.67% preferred 3D map with medium inclination angle, while 63.33% and 46.67% prefer 3D map with low inclination angle, respectivelly. The reasons for choosing 3D maps with different camera tilt angles suggest the maps in perspective view allows to visualising more post-maneuver information, enhance more legibility and understanding of the maneuver direction, and also displays a closer representation of what is seen in the real world. Further analysis should take into account the differences in age, since most of the younger drivers had higher preference for 3D maps, while older drivers had a higher preference for 2D maps.
Keywords
Car route guidance; Cartographic design; 3D maps