Gazing at targets while driving improves stability, study finds

Rockville, MD-A new study finds that when drivers fix their gaze on specific targets placed strategically along a curve, their steering is more stable than it is in normal conditions.

This recently published study in the online Journal of Vision suggests that indicating a point along the oncoming road in the vicinity of the tangent point may be a simple and efficient way to make vehicle control easier.

"This work may be relevant for the design of visual driving assistance systems," explains author Franck Mars, PhD, of the Institut de Recherche en Communications et Cybernétique de Nantes (IRCCyN), Nantes, France.

"Indeed, the next generation of head-up displays in cars will offer the opportunity for a driving aid that offers a wide field of view and highlights key features in the visual scene," Dr. Mars added. "This study may help answer the question of which visual cues should be made available in such displays."