Context-aware prioritization of information: an architecture for real-time in-vehicle information management

Human Machine Interfaces (HMIs) are the communication devices between in-vehicle applications and the driver. Frequently, independent HMIs are used for different applications which may cause information overload situations at the driver. Hence, a common HMI design that determines the application interface with an HMI Manager that provides rules for prioritizing information from different applications is needed. The design takes into account: application transparency, driver situation awareness, driver workload and surrounding external influences. By reducing distraction, especially when the situation requires more attention of the driver, the need for controlling the information flow emerges. This paper presents a driver-centred unified approach for in-vehicle information management