A model for predicting the visual complexity of in-vehicle interfaces

This paper describes the development of a model that can be used to estimate the visual complexity of in-vehicle graphical user interfaces (GUI) and to reduce the distraction of in-vehicle interfaces and thus improve the driving performance. The first version of this model was validated using a GUI that was designed for an interactive C2X application. Using the model, the visual complexity for different screens of the GUI was calculated. 22 participants performed a simple ticket reservation task with the GUI while performing a driving task. A significant correlation was found between the visual complexity and the time until action. Although this result indicates the potential of the developed model, the model has to be refined and further validated in future iterations